Wish
by just breathe
Summary: EPILOGUE! thanks to all who have read and reviewed this, sorry to keep you waiting and hope the epilogue satisfies. if not, sorry, but im finally done! yay!
1. Prologue

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Authors Note: This prologue has just been added and is relatively important to character development of my lead, Sara. 

Tell me what you think, 

And this isn't the original prologue, I changed it cuz the first one sucked…(I had originally planned this story to be a comedy but had a better idea)…I hope this doesn't suck…but read it all and review so I can know ok? THANKS! 

Wish

Prologue:

I sat on my chair, tilting it back on the two back legs.

I was in civic class, the most monotonous, boring, pathetic class of the day, situated in the last period. Most people were too tired to care or pay attention, least of all me. When the teacher finished writing the homework on the board I leaned forward to get a pen then wrote it down on the back of my hand.

I leaned over to my best friend, Lauren, "Hey, you wanna catch a movie? It's Friday and I'm bored." Lauren and I did everything together, from picking out our prom dresses to just hanging out at the mall. She, Katie and Claudia were our own little clique, we weren't exclusive (because that's just wrong), just tight. I leaned back and repeated my question to the others, but Katie was doing volunteer work and Claudia was going to youth group at her church. Lauren finally finished doing whatever she had been doing and turned her attention toward me.

"Hmmm? Movie? No, sorry, I'm going to go work out, you wanna come? I can bench press 60 now!' I smiled at her achievement. I could do that, probably more. We were both pretty athletic, she played hockey and I did kickboxing and some martial arts. We were even taking our Leaders for swimming together. We often compared our abs and biceps, working out together was fun. We learned to snowboard together too, we even had one of those BEST FRIENDS FOREVER necklaces from seventh grade. I focused my train of thought to the present. 

"Work out? Sure, I want to try 150 on the leg press. Oh, change of subject – you going tobogganing tomorrow?" Lauren nodded in agreement. It was a tradition, even though we were both 18, we still did it when we couldn't snowboard in the winter months. Claudia, Katie and a few other of our friends would be there.

"Oh! I totally forgot! I haven't started my essay for Tuesday yet and I GOT to get it done." I frowned.

"Why are you so obsessed over school?" I asked, disappointed, placing the blame on schoolwork. Lauren had always been the brains while I was the rebel, but we were both beautiful and often asked out just for being sexy.

"Ya, well, I got to get this done and I'd like to be prepared." She went back to her work, I gave one last disapproving sigh before going back to civics. I closed my book with a slam, slightly disappointed not everyone was as interested in not doing work as I was. Sometimes I wondered if I belonged on this Earth, sometimes I thought it'd be more interesting to die, then at least I'd be somewhere else. I quickly got distracted from my thoughts when the bell rang signifying the end of school.

After school we stayed until four o'clock working out, then went out separate ways. I untucked my oxford shirt, loosened my tie and rolled my kilt shorter. I had changed out of my work-out clothes back into my school uniform, and wanted to look at least slightly hot on the way home.

I walked to the bus station in the pouring rain, winter sucked. Unless it was snowing, THEN you could go snowboarding, and at least then your feet were dry (even if cold). When I got to the bus station, there was a big huff about a bus accident and it'd be delayed until quarter after when the next bus could come pick up the passengers. I checked my watch - that'd be in half an hour. I sighed, and then started my trek home in the rain, I didn't live that far away, but liked the bus better.

When I got home I plopped my bag on the bed, "Yes, Friday." I said quietly, home alone and not wanting to disturb the silence. I turned on the radio to Kiss 92 and listened to Outkast. "I am for reeeal. Never meant to make your daughter cry, I apologize mmm hmmm hmm mmm." I mumbled to the words while undressing - I got on my Stitches brand jeans and my Le Chateau turtleneck. I had style, but my school was private, so our 'lovely' uniforms weren't that expressively unique. I wore the same thing as every other girl in my class did, but unlike most of them, _I_ had a tattoo. It was my pride and joy. I grinned as I looked in the mirror at the small snowflake on the base of my neck. It was about a three centimeters across, and really detailed. My brother, twenty-two and an art school graduate did intricate tattoos in his off time. He was a graphic designer, and when I finally convinced my parents, he did it for me in the summer. (Kind of ironic, a snowflake in the summer)

I went downstairs, the house still quiet except for my humming and the quiet droning of my radio upstairs as some Jennifer Lopez song was playing. In the kitchen I stood staring outside, the high working out and the end of school had worn off, and I had temporarily forgotten our plans for tobogganing. I stood, leaning my forehead against the cold glass of the sliding doors. I was happy at school unlike most kids my age, and when I was alone away from my friends, I sank into a small depression. I wasn't happy at home, my parents weren't usually the problem, and my brother didn't live at home anymore, I was just - sad. 

I went out onto the cold deck, it had stopped raining a while ago but my bare feet still got wet. I crossed my arms across my chest and grabbed my shirt, staring out blankly at the sky. It was still clouded over but I enjoyed being outside. I was going snowboarding the next weekend, and looked forward to seeing the view on Mt. Saint Louie. I loved that resort, being with my friends, expressing my liking for snow with more than a tattoo…

I crossed my feet to keep them warm, standing in a dry spot on my deck. I silently wondered if there was another world out there, where I could just live and be happy, with tons of hotties and mysteries and snowboarding hills with perfect snowboarding conditions all year round. I sighed, this time out of sadness for the lack of such a place, and the brief happiness it gave me to dream. I made one last wish to leave Earth, and go somewhere like that, even if I didn't have an ounce of faith that it would happen, and went inside to my fuzzy brown kitten.

That weekend I went to the sleepover at Claudia's and vowed never to make a wish without thinking twice about what I was doing again.

Ok…hope that was better! Review please and thank you ^-^


	2. Alone

Ok…this is a long chapter. But please keep reading, THEN you can see if it really sucks or not. ^_^ I really talk like this – the way my character does. I'm trying to be real, not cool or grammatically incorrect – so yea…REVIEW 

Wish

Chapter one:

I still didn't know what had happened. I was just fooling around, laughing with my friends, nothing out of the ordinary. We were playing in the snow that had fallen the night before and the entire day, while the guy next door was flirting with me. Then we went tobogganing, I went down first, and that's when it happened.

'Ok you guys, I'll show you how a PRO does it!' I yelled as I got down on my stomach onto the Crazy Carpet; a thin, neon pink piece of rectangular plastic with handles. I pushed off with my hands, and went flying down the icy hill. I closed my eyes as the white surroundings enveloped me, I didn't even realize that I had stopped moving. It was the oddest feeling, I was just suspended in the air, my friends screams woke me out of the trance and I opened my eyes. When I saw white, it was nothing out of the ordinary, but when the wind sucked me upwards I realized I was flying. 'Lauren! Somebody! Help me!' I yelled as they ran down the hill – it was too late as they shrunk to the size of ants below me. Then the next thing I knew the forward motion I had on the hill had caught up on me as I went flying out of the whiteness – down a hill.

Unfortunately it wasn't covered in snow, or clear of trees, I went rolling down, my body accelerating as I fell over hard rocks and lumps in the ground. I saw the forest floor rush by me, dirt and leaves decomposing on the floor as I continued rolling. Somewhere in the back of my mind I thought about how much this would kill in the morning. Finally I rolled onto a flat surface, a nice large tree breaking my fall. My body arched around it, unfortunately it was my back that had hit and 'arch' is not something that the body is supposed to do in that direction. My eyes were still closed and I wiggled my toes. 'Good,' I thought, 'no spinal injuries.' I slowly drew my knees up and my arms to chest and whimpered; surprising I hadn't broken anything. In the distance I heard voices and horses running, getting closer. Somehow I was able to conclude that I had probably rolled onto a road. That's when he came, a knight in shining armor, a horse and everything. Once I saw him get off his horse and come toward me, I closed my eyes and slipped into unconsciousness.

***

I opened my eyes to a warm bed and soft sheets. I tried to turn over, but grimaced when pain shot up my spine. Then I noticed my surroundings; warm bed, surrounded by people I didn't even know. My eyes grew wide, I wasn't in a hospital, and I didn't recognize any of these people from home. Though they were quite good looking, I squinted, noticing one of them, he was the man that I had last seen before I fell asleep. No, I had probably gone unconscious from the fall. He turned from his conversation with another, very good looking guy, dressed like a soldier, and came towards me. He sat on the edge of my bed, I was still drowsy, but unable to hide the fear in my eyes.

"Hello, I am one of the many doctors on this Zaibach fortress. You are under my care by order of Lord Folken, my name is Carsio." He paused, seeing if I understood. His voice was monotone, he probably didn't care one bit about me, it was just his job. I wondered if Lord Folken was the man that had been at the side of the road.

"T-This is a hospital?" I asked, slightly dumbfounded, not understanding everything he had said.

"This is the medical ward." He got up and a nurse who had been standing to the side came into view. He turned to her and picked up a needle from a tray she was carrying. "I'm going to have to put you under so that we may make the necessary stitches on your leg." He didn't even look at me as he injected the huge needle into my arm. I winced as I once again saw darkness for the second time that day.

***

It's odd what you think about when you're coming out of unconsciousness. I was thinking about The Tea Party, and my kitten. Why? Who knows, I had had just had thirty-two stitches put into my leg and a huge vile of anesthetic in me. I sat up, and leaned back on the headboard of my bed, dizzy. As my vision cleared, I realized I was no longer in the medical ward, I gently shook my head to get my bearings on me, then twisted my body through the sheets, setting my feet lightly on the carpeted floor. I took a deep breath and got up, I was wearing a thin nightshirt, I ran my finger up my stitches on my left thigh. 'Gross.' I thought. I helped myself across the room towards the door with the furniture. I noticed it was decorated with a lot of antiques, it was dark and heavy looking, not that inviting. 'Wait'll my friends see me, this nasty thing on my leg.' I thought. I still didn't understand what had happened. When I got to the door, it was locked. I frowned and looked around the dark room, I hit the hard wooden door with my fist, making a large resonating sound.

"They won't open it for you." I jumped back. I thought I had been alone, the deep, quiet voice was sitting in a chair in the corner, he had been on the other side of my bed. I caught my breath and turned in the dark room, the heavy curtains kept out most of the daylight, but a dark red glow illuminated it enough. I squinted to see if I could see him. He had sounded older than me, I was scared at being alone in the dark room with him with the door locked. He stood. "Don't worry, I don't bite." That really didn't assure me.

"Who are you?" I asked as I balled my fists, ready to retaliate if he even looked in the wrong direction. I took kickboxing, and could hold my own. He stepped forward into the dim light from the curtains, I noticed he was tall, with broad shoulders. I hoped that he wouldn't try anything, my body wasn't at a hundred percent right now.

"My name is Folken, my men found you at the side of the road." I recalled a little about the doctor mentioning him. I returned my attention to his body language. "You are in a Zaibach floating fortress – " I cut him off.

"Yea, yea, I heard. When can I go home?" I asked, wondering if my parents and friends knew where I was. Probably not, since I had never heard the word Zaibach before in my entire life.

"You cannot go home. You do not know where you are?" I stepped back, recalling every horror movie that had had to do with kidnapped people before, and he _really_ didn't fit into the category of friendly hero type. He began to come towards me.

"That's far enough." I said, putting my body into the ready position if I had to do anything violent. He stopped, and I could tell he was smiling. That just pissed me off. "And no, I _don't_ know where I am." He continued on toward me and I felt around the table beside my for something, I found a vase. I lifted it about an inch and realized it was full of water and made of thick porcelain. He stopped about four inches away from me, his face looking down into me. I could see his face better, he had a tear tattoo on his right cheek and the sides of his eyes made him look sad. He intrigued me, and I would have been more interested in him if he wasn't playing the role of someone incredibly threatening right now. 

"You are under my care, and will respect me." I gave him a look of disgust.

"Let me out." I said evenly. He lowered his head to my face and with one hand pushed me against the door. He touched his lips to mine, fear overcame any type of romance that could have been stirred by the action. I pulled the vase up between his arms and smashed it up his face and shoved him away. The vase broke on his face and shattered across the floor. He swore and held his face. I kicked him across the face sending him to the floor. There were voices outside as the door was broken down and three men rushed in. The light from the hallway almost blinded me, before they could react to the situation I ran through them and down the hall, the oversized nightshirt billowing behind me. My strong legs carried me through the halls as I ran past servants and other guards. I didn't know where I was going, I just knew that they were following me. I finally got into a large room, filled with men, my age, some younger, some older. They all stopped as I entered, the room was filled with light and it seemed that they were working out. I stopped, panting and then turned to run out but before I could leave the three guards from the room ran in. I turned and ran for another exit near the wall but the guards quickly made use of the many strong men surrounding her.

"Stop her!" one of them yelled and obediently the nearest boy jumped up from the weight machine he was working on. I was too fast for him and when he got in front of me to block my path I jumped - my entire weight and speed behind me as I lifted my feet and knocked him to the ground. The next boy came after me, and a few others followed realizing I was stronger than I seemed. I got to the exit but it was locked. 'Aw crap.' I thought as I turned to see the four boys surrounding me and the guards catching up behind them. I quickly assessed that I wouldn't be able to fight all of them. One of the guards entered the circle and came toward me cautiously. Out of breath he carefully took my arm, but holding tight. He tried to pull me toward the other entrance but I resisted. 

What happened next must have been fate or just bad luck. The door I had been backed up to swung open and another one of the boys came out, this one was wearing heavy armor and must have been in high command. Of course I didn't see all this _before_ I jerked my arm away from the guard with so must force I elbowed this new guys stomach. Nope, it was when I was six inches off the ground, my neck being strangled by this enraged boy that I noticed it. I struggled for air as my feet flailed along the ground. Apparently he had doubled over when I elbowed him, and the humiliation he took a little too personally. I started to get scared as the constant lack of oxygen blurred my vision.

"Dilandau!" it was the man from the room. "DILANDAU!" he yelled again and the boy finally dropped me. I gasped for breath and collapsed on the floor. The guards, the boys, Folken and Dilandau all looked down at me in distaste and intrigue.

"What are you looking at?" I asked as I struggled to my feet. Folken just stared at me, I noticed small cuts on his face with blood still fresh and a red mark on the side of his face where I had kicked him. Then I turned my attention to Dilandau, who was seething. I shot him a look, I disliked him the most, and the feeling was most likely mutual. No one had moved as our eyes locked. No one dared. The force he had used on me probably had something to do with his command.

"Who is she?" he finally spoke, hate dripping from his voice. Folken lowered his eyes, resolution in his face.

"None of your damn business, that's who." I answered before Folken could answer. Dilandau had never allowed his stare to wonder off of me, and when I said that his eyes widened. He raised the back of his hand and whipped it across my face. My face swung to the side and I took a step back at the sudden force. I heard a few gasps from some of the boys and then whipped my head back facing him, my cheek red and swollen. "That was a mistake." I said matter-of-factly. I walked up to him but Folken anticipated my move and stood between us, staring down at me. I stepped back, my chest heaving. He grabbed me by the arm, this time I didn't object and let him lead me to my room – or at least the one that I had woken up to that morning.

* * *

I sat alone in the room for the rest of the day, food being brought to me, cold, through a crack in the door. I didn't eat. I sat on the bed, knees up to my chest, my arm wrapped around my thighs. I wondered where I was, no one seemed to explain that to me. I wondered where my friends were, I missed Lauren, Claudia, Katie, my best friends. I thought about the snow, the beautiful snow that had fallen. I was always one to notice beauty in nature, that's why I loved being outside. Nothing man-made to break down or malfunction, nothing cold or hard or perfectly square. I don't know why I didn't like it, just – nature was so much better. I started to cry, my heroics today had worn me out, I had never used my ability to fight before in real circumstances, I was scared, I missed my brother.

I remembered my tattoo. I immediately got up and went over to the mirror on the dresser. I leaned over close to it and opened the top of the shirt and saw the little blue and white reminder of my home. I wiped the tears off my cheek and smiled. He wouldn't want me to cry. I remembered when I was fourteen, I had fallen and broken my leg, but never did I shed a tear. He had said he was really proud of me, I hadn't realized until then how much my brothers opinion had meant to me. I really looked up to him. He had always been there for me, even though he was four years older me – a product of my mother's first marriage. I stepped back and sat on the edge of the bed, having no will to get away anymore. Just to get some answers.

A thought came into mind as I remembered what I had silently said the Friday last - another world out there, where I could just live and be happy, with tons of hotties and mysteries and snowboarding hills with perfect snowboarding conditions all year round. Was this some kind of sick twisted version of my wish? I had had wishes come true before, but never something to this magnitude. I dismissed the idea and decided I better get some rest.

I lay awake for the rest of the night.


	3. An Urge to Kill

Authors Note: I dedicate this chapter to the one person who reviewed the last one ^-^

Wish

Chapter two: 

I probably fell asleep at some time, since I did end up waking up in the morning. But I felt different, something new was in me. Like the feeling at the start of a new day was planted in my soul, a feeling of conquest. I quickly dismissed it. Usually I wouldn't have, I was very into thinking a lot about my emotions, but this morning it was as if my subconscious had an alternate motive. That was just weird.

I showered in my room and got into the clothes I found on my dresser. They had been washes and pressed, which was annoying, since my shirt was dry clean only. Surprisingly it fit fine and my jeans were nice and comfortable, yet a little tight on my thigh. I opened the curtains and discovered what they meant by 'Floating' Fortress.

We must have been a thousand feet up, not that I would know, I had never been on an airplane before in my life! But quickly my attention wandered from the height and to the scene below. Beneath me was a sprawling countryside, emerald forests and gray mountains, the beautiful blue sky and fluffy clouds draped above it. The mountain range was like nothing I had seen before, long silver crevasses and peaks, which acted like the lines of a stained glass window, with the green flora as the coloured segments. I loved this, this beauty of nature. But it was a devastatingly obvious fact that I was nowhere near my home. It was odd, that same feeling that had told me not to dwell on my emotions told me to ignore the beauty. That it wasn't important, not in words, but somehow. I frowned, distracted from the beauty, what was happening to me? Once again, something told me to ignore it, and this time I let in. 

There was a knock on the door. I expected it to open and my cold breakfast to be taken in, but they just kept knocking. The feeling of conquest, the adrenaline, out of nowhere, came down on me. I grinned evilly as I planned out how I could get out. More knocking, seemingly getting impatient. I crept up behind the door, I would hold this person as hostage - I'd force them to take me home. This time nothing objected in the corner of my mind. Finally they called out.

"Hey you, girl, are you in there?" It was Folken. I frowned, I couldn't beat him twice, he really was stronger than me, the only reason I beat him yesterday was because I surprised him. Today he'd be on guard. 

"Yea." I said lowly, and opened the door just a crack. "What do you want?" I said, disappointed that my scheme couldn't be followed through. He stared at me awhile, noticing my tight shirt - or something. "Hey, you're not searching for some whore to mak with, are you, cause it ain't gunna be me." He directed his attention back to my face, not quite understanding but probably getting the point.

"No, uh, sorry. I'm here to discuss your home." This got my attention and I opened the door and stood to the side, he walked in and sat on the overstuffed chair in the corner, where he had been sitting the first time we met. "I am to believe you don't know where you are, or have any idea what Zaibach is." I closed the door and walked over to that side of the bed and sat, staring out the window.

"Yup." I solemnly agreed.

"Do you think you might have amnesia?" I turned to look at him – thinking he was just fooling around, but he was serious.

"No, I can remember everything. I just don't understand the past few days." I sighed, and stared down at the floor. "Please, don't give me this, 'You're on a Zaibach Floating Fortress' crap because I've heard it and I don't get it." He stayed silent. "I look outside and I don't recognize a single bit of topography. Those mountains, that city, that forest. Nothing like that is with a thousand miles of my home. Am I in Russia or something?" I asked, half kidding, half serious.

"No, and describing where you are now may not do you a whole lot of good. What is your name? In all the commotion I never got to ask." I thought about reminding him that he had been more interested in my lips than my name the first time we met, and that's why there_ was_ a commotion.

"Sara." I said, he repeated it to himself.

"You have a beautiful name, I've never heard it before." I rolled my eyes, 'yea, right.' I thought. "Let me show you where you're from." He changed the subject, I closed my eyes – now getting pissed off. I knew where I was from, I just needed to know how I could get back there. Folken rose from his seat and went to the wide window, I got up and joined him. He pointed out to the East, where the ocean seemed to start and the forests and mountains ended. "There, those moons do you recognize them?" I squinted, trying to seem the minute detail I had over looked the first time I observed the scene. Then my eyes grew wide. One small orb was green and blue, with wispy white streaks all about it, the other, smaller, was stark white. I collapsed on the floor, Folken sat down beside me. "You are on Gaea, a planet smaller in size, but resembling your own, Mystic Moon, or Earth as you call it."

I stared blankly forward, how could it be? Was it even possible? Folken reached out his hand, I hadn't noticed before but his right arm was metal, a claw, the farthest thing from human. I gasped and he realized what he had done and quickly hid it from view. I looked at his face, he seemed…ashamed.

"We have those on…Earth…"The words burned in my throat at the reality as I tried to console him. "They're called prosthetic limbs. Only ours look like real arms – that's why I gasped. I've never seen one like that before." I don't know why I felt obliged to explain my actions to the man who had come onto me before I even knew him. He scared me, somewhat, but with that sense of conquest, that burning desire to get something, I felt almost closer to this man. Like his accomplishments as a leader made him more honourable. Like I wanted to be like him. I shook my head. What was I thinking? I didn't even _know_ his accomplishments, what if he was a cold-blooded murderer? Oddly, that made me feel calm inside, I didn't even feel guilt for wanting to be like someone like that. I shivered. Folken was watching me.

"What's wrong?" he asked, returning the undeserved kindness. I shook my head in the negative and forced a small smile. He smiled back then got up. "I have to go now. Just understand that Zaibach is not here to hurt you." I had so many more questions but he turned his back and rushed out before I could muster up the voice to ask. I stared back down on the ground thinking, 'I really am on another world.'

***

I wanted to work out - I always ran or lifted weights or swam everyday to keep myself fit, and after being cooped up for a few days I had a lot of energy. The fact that I had an enormous amount of adrenaline in me didn't help either, I just couldn't stay still. I asked the door guard (who was a little bitter since yesterday) if I could go work out in that gym place I had been in the day before. He raised an eyebrow, obviously disbelieving a woman would want to sweat, then escorted me to the change rooms. I took off my jeans and turtleneck and put on shorts and a t-shirt, apparently they had bought an entire female wardrobe for me, and after sifting through all the dresses and other old fashioned sexist clothing I found some casual clothes.

I ran for twenty minutes around the track, at a jogging pace, then stopped for a drink. It wasn't hard – really, I just needed to burn off some energy and get this feeling out of my system. Unfortunately it didn't go away and now I had the urge to fight someone. I chuckled to myself, and wiped the sweat off my face, when I realized I had an audience.

Five men ducked behind the door when they realized I had seen them. I went toward them, trying to keep that urge to fight down and smiling pleasantly.

"Yes?" I asked and one of the men was pushed forward, he swore at them then directed his attention to me, smiling back. He had dirty blonde hair and was amazingly hot. I bit my lip and stared him down. 

"We were-uh-just seeing who was running." He squirmed uneasily in his spot as if there was ice water being poured down his back. "And it was you – and now we have to go." He gave one last big smile before turning around and running off.

"Wait!" I yelled and he stopped, the other guys already gone, but most likely listening in around the corner. "What is your name?" He smiled, more genuinely this time, I guess more at ease to be alone.

"Chesta." He said, I smiled and waved him off, and he bolted out. They had been wearing armor, like Dilandau had – but different, were these men who he was in charge of? 

I wondered how strong they were, and immediately reasoned because I thought they were hot. But deep down I knew it was because I wanted to fight. I had never felt this way before – and I hated it. I went over to a weight machine for the arms and put it at fifty pounds. Or what ever the little marking was. It was just enough to give a challenge and I did a few sets before going onto the next. When I was working out, I was distracted, and could think about little else, but once I stopped, the adrenaline didn't seem to have been sufficed and I desperately wanted to fight something, someone, and win.

I wanted to kill.

I ran out of the training area, the guard awaking and running after me. I got to my room and slammed the door behind me. I leaned back, out of breath and sweating, but not because I had just bench-pressed a seventy pounds - but because I was terrified. These feelings, where were they coming from? I took deep breaths until I was calm, but the hatred of my feelings still had to be expressed and I started to cry. One tear, then another. Soon I was sobbing so hard I could barely breathe. I missed my friends, my family, I wasn't even on earth anymore. Was I dead? No, this definitely wasn't heaven or hell or limbo or any of that stuff. That was not really what troubled me, I was changing, I had to stop it, I had to resist. It was this cursed place, this 'Gaea', it had to be evil, or what else could change me into something I'm not?

Dun dun dun! Hehehe, review me! Hehehehe!


	4. Talking to Myself

Oooooookay folks ^-^ READ AND REVIEW |P

Dedicated to Toadie, who put me on her (his?) favourite authors list ^-^

(if you don't understand some of the inner dialogue: think of it as two different people (ooooh! Im givin it away!!)) 

Wish

Chapter three: Talking to Myself

The next morning I woke with a start. I had been dreaming, it was so odd, I was fighting my best friends from back at home, Lauren and Claudia, and Katie was crying. I felt terrible when I awoke, why would I want to hurt any of them?

I got into the shower and put it on as high as it would go. I could feel the intense heat as it flowed over my body, soothing my stiff muscles but burning my skin. I looked at the water pooling at my feet and running into the drain off to the side as I washed my hair. I had a flashback of home, and a pang of homesickness washed over me. I quickly shook it off and the burning water on my face kept my attention away from the sadness. It was odd, being in the shower today I felt as if someone was watching me, like someone was in the shower with me. I turned off the water and toweled off but it didn't go away, it got so strong at one point I went to the door and checked if anyone was there – nobody. 

I went into the room and got dressed. I stopped short, there was a bag on the dresser, a backpack! It was mine! I ran over to it and opened it, just last night I had wished for it, my CD player, journal, running shoes (I had been wearing boots from tobogganing), and photo album I had been showing to my friends. I checked the front pocket and sure enough, there was my first aid kit! Even an extra set of clothes since I had worries of getting wet that day. How had they gotten it? It didn't matter as I inhaled my sweatshirt, oh, I _loved_ this red thing, with a pocket in front and a hood. I kept going and found I had five CD's with me too! Thank God for not being able to choose one CD when travelling, I didn't know how long I'd be here, Limp Bizkit would definitely get me in the mood to fight with some of the jerks here.

I stopped – fighting - why did it come back to that _again?_ I shook my head, it was stupid to want to hurt these guys, they had never done anything to me – I just wanted to fight someone and win. I wanted to win _a lot_.

"Shut up, Sara." I said to myself. 'Put it out of your mind and it'll just go away.'

'But it won't, you know it's what you want.' My inner voice said, boy that thing was annoying.

'I am in control of my body, I can tell it to ignore stuff.' I said, convincing myself, but not succeeding.

'But not your mind.'

"Ok, this is stupid! Just SHUT UP! Ooh! Diet Coke!" I reached in and pulled out the cold metal can. I decided not to have anymore conversations with myself and lifted out some of my burned CDs. I had everything from Lauryn Hill to Our Lady Peace to Korn and Eminem. This would help me work out, if I could figure out how to charge the batteries. 

***

"Did you see her stomach? She has abs like you, Dalet!" Chesta said, and ducked a towel whipped at his head. 

"Yea, she has a tight butt, too!" Miguel added, all the dragonslayors were laughing and talking about the new girl. A girl hadn't been on the Fortress for a long time and all the men were talking about her – except Dilandau. He just stood in the shower area, toweling down, listening silently to their conversations.

"And did you see those legs? Oh what I wouldn't do to get in be-" Chesta said, this time Dilandau responded, obviously having been quiet because his anger had been building.

"Shut up! All of you! No more talk about the girl today! We have training to do!" And he stormed to the changing rooms where he got on his uniform. Every one of them stopped talking, Dilandau had authority for a reason, he was the best dragonslayor, and the best at keeping them in control.

Last night the sorcerers had requested to see him - they had drugged him and after that he didn't remember a thing. He just felt – protective over her. That girl, who he didn't even know. Dilandau busied himself that day barking orders at his men and working out. But he couldn't get her out of his mind.

***

"Aaarh!" I said through clenched teeth, my jaw tight and my hands on my head – my fingers digging into my temples. "SHUT UP!"

For the past two hours I had been debating in my head about my feelings, new topics had been brought up, things I didn't want to talk about.

'I saw how you looked at Chesta, like a subordinate. Maybe that's why you like Dilandau so much.'

'I don't! What are you talking about?! Where do you get these ideas?'

'I could feel that feeling when he hit you! You want Dilandau bad!'

'He's a jerk!'

'He has power, more than you! And you want that!'

'No! NO!' Finally I had to shout. "NO!" That ended it. But every time there was a quiet moment, it came back, I was asked if I wanted to work out, but I couldn't – this voice in my head, myself I guess, kept talking. Finally it did something I agreed with.

'Go fight.'

'What?!'

'Go fight!'

'Who?'

'The dragonslayors are training, ask if you can join them!' I smiled.

'Good idea. Then I can get this adrenaline out of my system.' I felt an inward smile as well. I chuckled and drew my hands away from my head, either this voice was getting less annoying or I had started to like it. 

***

"Attack!" Dilandau shouted and the two swords were thrust together in viscous sparks. 

I stood at the doorway, all backs turned to me as I studied them – the dragonslayors. I focused on their movements, memorizing what they did before they struck. I saw their weak spots, I memorized how they fought. It was odd what I had become, something so obsessed over fighting but had only had one real fight in my life. I knew that swords were not how I fought, so learning how it was done would make it easier to fight without it. Disarming these men would be easy at first, they would underestimate me, but then they would learn, but I could still defeat them, I needed a weapon though, a dagger or staff. I had neither, and I didn't want to learn how to sword fight this late in the game if I wanted to fight them now. Finally Dilandau noticed me, and immediately all movement stopped and every set of eyes focused on my leaning figure at the doorway. Dilandau stood and came over to me, talking lowly but not out of earshot to the other men.

"Enjoying watching us sweat? I heard the idea wasn't so foreign to you, you were quite the athlete yesterday." I smiled at his sarcasm and the complete silence just added to the tension between our two bodies. I picture him with his shirt off then shook my head to get the erotic image out of my head.

"Oh yes," I said, replying to his question and expression the heat between us at the same time. "Especially you, Dilandau." I grinned, as there were whispers from behind him. He blushed but knew I was making fun of him and I could see the muscles in his jaw tighten at the taunt.

'Told ya so.' I looked down, distracted by the voice.

'What? Go away! Not now!' I said inwardly as Dilandau noticed my darting eyes as I stared past him, seemingly through his chest.

'You like him!' and at that the voice was gone and I nervously returned my eyes to Dilandau's, he had no idea what was going on inside my head, which was probably good.

"Your men," I nodded in their direction, "How good are they without the sword?" A few of them chuckled, probably able to guess where I was headed. Dilandau understood as well.

"Better than you, I'm sure." I rolled my eyes as a few sounds of approval came from behind him. "Unless you doubt my authority." I eyed him, he was daring me to say something that would give him a reason to hit me. The power he held once again stirred desire in me. His eyes were wide, 'psycho' I thought. 'Yup' the other voice said. 

"Can I fight 'em?" I said a little to eagerly and Dilandau gave me a look, then nodded tentatively. Dilandau and I walked towards the circle of sitting men, in the center was where they fought. I noticed they had armor on, but nothing serious. I went through what I would do in my head, staring at each one, figuring which one would be the best to demonstrate my ability. I picked Guimel, or at least that's what his friends called him when he rose. He put down his sword. 

I stood in the center of the ring, everyone watching me, especially Dilandau.

"You can keep your sword – for now." Everyone chuckled and the boy lifted his sword of the bench where he had had it leaned. I smiled, this would be fun. 

"Try not to hurt her _too_ badly, Guimel, she is Folken's guest." Dilandau joked, but never letting his eyes stray from me. Guimel chuckled and readied himself in that familiar crouching position I had seen him in when he attacked his comrades. He was a good swordsman, and also at hand to hand combat, most of these men knew it, too, so probably thought I was digging myself a pit by choosing him. But I had seen him fight, and I _was _better.

Next part up soon! ^-^


	5. Taking Control

Author's Note: I've watched more Buffy episodes than read violent books, so please be merciful with my pathetic attempt at writing a good fight scene. o~o

This is dedicated to Sarina (senna?)

Wish

Chapter four: Taking Control

The voice in my head was silent, but I could feel its presence more than ever at its will to fight him. The adrenaline surged through my veins as I observed every movement his body made, waiting for the right moment to strike, to make him helpless. Somewhere in the back of my mind I wondered if this voice that had been driving me crazy would help me fight, to give me edge, I focused all my attention back to Guimel as I noticed his arms tense – about to strike.

He swung the blade in a smooth arc, one simple fluid movement that, if I hadn't moved, would have decapitated my head. I was quick on my feet to get behind him, I ducked under his arm and raised my leg. His sword still in front of his body, he was too slow to turn, and I shoved him to the ground with a swift kick to the back of his knees. With a grunt he spun, my foot caught between his legs, he tripped me, but I was quick to recover as he stood up again. 

We circled each other like wild dogs about to fight, an evil grin across my face of complete confidence and invincibility. Or at least that's how I felt, which was odd, since I figured that there was a great chance he could win.

He charged, sword aimed at my chest. Once it was within distance I leaned back, lifted my feet and ripped the sword out of his hands. I then took the sword and knocked him in the jaw with the hilt, he stumbled to the side, off balance and his lips split and bleeding from the strong blow. The men just stared.

I cracked my neck and threw his sword into a wooden beam on the wall, a short distance from Dilandau's head. Had I lost control? This fight wasn't over, and I was winning, but why did I want so badly to do this? To hurt him? Guimel twisted his face to look at me, hate burning in his eyes from the humiliation as he licked the blood off his lips. Blood, the sight just stirred mine even more as the adrenaline mounted.

'Ok, now a test of strength.' I said inwardly, almost praying for the voice to give answer. Guimel straightened and adjusted his armor on his chest, his eyes never leaving my face.

'Well you have that.' I withheld a smile as the familiar inner voice answered. 'But do you have what it takes to win?' I cocked my head, staring Guimel down, he _was_ strong, possibly stronger than me. I needed to use my speed and knowledge to help me now.

'What do I need to win against this boy?' I asked silently, a pause, as if I, it, whatever that thing was, was thinking.

'I can give it to you. Just submit your body to your mind, and you'll win.' I stared blankly upwards. What the hell did that mean? 'Let _me_ fight him.' 

I guess it was then that I realized that this voice was more than my conscience, more than something my imagination had dreamt up. But I wanted it, I wanted it for that brief moment in time to take the load off my back, all the problems, all the stress of this new world, and to get this fight won and over with. I couldn't dwell too long thinking about it when Guimel was about to attack again, maybe that's why the opportunity was perfect for it to take control.

Guimel charged, but not at me, it was like I was watching it all happen, I could see myself, and Guimel and all the men, but not from the vantage point I had had only a few seconds ago. I was outside my body, I was there, seeing myself block his blows as they came barraging down on me. Then I kicked him in the gut, while he was still catching his breath that had been knocked out of him I whipped his head up with a hard blow to the face, then another, then another. He finally blocked my forceful arm, but I kneed him in the side. He sat, bent over on the floor, his comrades staring in disbelief at the blood running freely from his nose and his swollen eye, which was quickly turning purple. My body (for that's what it was, it wasn't me any more) stood straight, eyeing its accomplishment and walked over to the kneeling figure. Dilandau stopped the fight before it could get in another punch.

"Enough!" I heard him say, through my ears, and I could feel my body stopping, turning and promptly obeying, submissive to his power. "You will not beat anymore of my men today." I smiled at that last word, today, for tomorrow was a new day, a new day when the fighting could presume, maybe with some one more worthy. My lips curled upwards at I laughed hysterically, walking back to my dark room alone, the men staring at me from behind. 

"She's as psycho as Dilandau." I heard one of them mutter.

"So," I heard my voice chuckle once the door was closed and 'we' were alone, "how do you like the new you?"

ooooo…I like this chapter…review please ^-^ 


	6. Demon Within

Author's Note: I've been slow getting this up (even though I wrote it a while ago) because I've been having a tough time: my nine year old girl that I've sponsored through Compassion International for the past year just died of malaria, my best friends in a mental institute, I'm failing math and my mother's clinically depressed. So hopefully this won't reflect any feelings of SUCKINESS that I'm currently feeling. -_-

Oh…dedicated to Marissa, thanks for supporting me with fanfiction and my stories:)

Wish

Chapter five: Demon within

Colubra. Latin for snake, for that's what she was. A manipulative, devil snake that had taken my body. She had always known my thoughts, feelings and deepest emotions from the second she got in. A demon. Even _she_ didn't know where she came from, but she had been there since the surgery to my leg. 

She was sympathetic to me, having known every detail of the way I thought and felt for the past few days had made me 'grow' on her. I heard my voice escape from my throat, forming words with my lips, but having nothing to do with it. It's a scary sensation.

"I like your body, very strong and toned muscles. Even knows a few good moves." She paused, "But not enough zeal for fighting. They were smart to put me in you, we make a good team."

'Shove off.' I could sense her feelings, she wasn't just a monster, she was as 'human' as you could get. I didn't know her past, and she admitted not knowing mine either. Unless we thought about it, the memories in the archives of our brains would stay hidden. I had never thought so little before, just for the sake of privacy. 'Like two souls in one body.'

"Yes." She agreed, not having much knowledge, she drank in my intelligence and understood everything as I did. "Souls, are, on Earth, very important in many cultures. I am a soul?" I thought about it, she was probably a demon or something, but, if my religion class was right, she would know that, she would know what she was. 'I don't know what you are.' She sat on my bed, alert and attentive to me, like a student learning from a teacher. I was her 'inner voice', she was in the same predicament I had been in only a short time before.

Something twitched in her brain, twisting her train of thought away from her past. 

"What size are these breasts?" She asked curiously distracted, looking down my – her – shirt. 

'What!? STOP THAT!' She looked up, satisfied at the answer that had flashed through my mind ever so briefly. She walked over to the dresser, studying my things. 'That's a photo album' I helped when she had been studying the small book for a few seconds. She lifted it up and opened it, 

'Pictures? From a camera. They don't have that advanced technology here.' She thought, recalling a faded memory from the corner of her mind.

'You know about this place? You have memories?' She focused at my image in the mirror, a glimmer of hope in – our – eyes. Then it vanished and she frowned, throwing the album down on the ground.

"No." Her heart, metaphorically speaking, hardened, she was a fighter, and trained to make this body the best it can be for Dilandau. She had been the one to win the fight against Guimel, her talent and skill in fighting surpassed my own a hundred fold. And she could kill.

***

'Why are you here?' I asked, if I couldn't fight this being with anything, why not befriend it, it would make this distorted existence more bearable. She knew I was talking about why she was in my body.

"To create a superior fighting machine, that will serve Him to the death." A sense of confusion and regret washed over her, she stumbled back, an intense pain in the back of my head. "What is this!" I winced in pain and then darkness over took me. 

***

The memory came over her like a river. "No past, just future, a future serving Him." The huge room, dark, thick walls, the giant spherical machine in front, destroying her past, creating her future. The voice spoke again. "You have no past, Colubra, just future, He is your future." He repeated. I felt fear. "Serve him to the death." Then it ended. Thoughts flooded our minds, too many to understand either of ours. Yet we kept silent, sitting on the floor of my room. Finally she composed herself. She stood.

"I'm here to serve Dilandau." 

If you didn't get that, Colubra is the voice sara had in her head which now has control over her body. Colubra is a demon or "something" (hint hint) that is in her body that has been "programmed" (hint hint) to fight for Dilandau. The last part was a vision of dornkirk talking telling her…oops…said too much already ^_^. Ya….if your don't get that I can't help you. =_= im tired now, good bye


	7. Love and Hate

Author's Note: Umm…(no, not the author, I'm just stalling) I'm feeling better now, God is good.

Listen to Limp Bizcuit, Rearranged when reading the medical lab part, and it really sets the mood ^-^ 

Dedicated To: Sarina Fannel

Wish

Chapter six: Love and Hate

'_YOU'RE_ the one with hots for Dilandau! And all that other crap you accused me of when I thought you were just my subconscious was really _YOUR_ feelings!' 

"They were yours too, girl!" She yelled back, seeming to like the sound my voice had in the small room when I was mad.

'ME in love with him! He's a freak! Did you see that scar on his face! I won't even go out with guy who has too many pimples!!!' If I could pace and flail my arms, I would, but she understood. When you're sharing the same body, feel the same things, and literally know every thought that passes through each others mind, I find you can get the point across pretty well.

"Ha! What about Chesta! I find those men appealing because they can fight, but you like them because they have muscles and a tight ass!"

'Yea…so?!' What was her point?

"My _point_ is the fact that you and I used to be different, completely, yet now you are becoming more like me. I saw the way you stared at him this morning at breakfast! You want to fight Dilandau as much as I do – to test his abilities!!!" Somehow I sighed.

'Let me refresh your memory – YOU CONTROL MY EYES! I _can't _stare at him…only YOU can. And if wanting to fight Dilandau means I'm getting more like you, then why did _you_ spend thirty minutes in front of the mirror this morning brushing my hair. Because you think its pretty! _Pretty!_ Snake girl thinks my hair is PRETTY!' If she could slap me, she would've. 

"Don't call me snake girl!" I felt bad for enraging her so – she was like a young child in a sense, new to the world. My feelings of remorse quickly quieted our verbal/mental fight.

I stared through her eyes at my face in the mirror, she kept my eyes focused on the details, allowing this small novelty of seeing myself. I looked the same, for some reason that was a comfort, I glanced down at my neck, it was frustrating when my arms didn't lift like I wanted them to. Colubra unbuttoned the top button and let me see the small reminder of my life before Gaia, the small tattoo stood out against my pale skin. Colubra was about to comment but she was interrupted by a knock on the door.

The guard unlocked it before we could reach for the handle, Folken stepped into view, how long had he been standing outside? Did he hear our seemingly one-sided fight? He gave us a once over then stared us in the eye, 'He thinks we're nuts, Sara.'

'I noticed.'

"Are you alright?" He didn't seem to care about the yelling fit I had just had with myself. When Colubra nodded, he smiled shortly, "Good." Then left.

'That was odd.' I commented. Colubra agreed. 'Hey.' An idea came into my head and Colubra knew it and agreed before I could even form the words to describe it. We dressed, in my plain black pants and a thin blue t-shirt, and headed out. 'I wish that nothing would go wrong, I really want this to work.' I spoke quietly, I really wanted some answers, and so did Colubra.

* * *

I think my room door was supposed to be locked, but it hadn't been since Folken had stopped in. The guard wasn't there either, luck I supposed. I sneaked down the quiet hallways of the Friggin Flying Fortress (I had dubbed it that because I didn't like it and that's how I described things I didn't like – they were Friggin – it's a very simple concept). There was no one about, I passed by a few of the young men from the fight yesterday, but they didn't seem to notice me, or maybe they just ignored me. Finally I found the medical lab, surprisingly it hadn't taken that long – through trail and error I had found the large series of rooms and hallways.

I walked down the main hall, the smell of sterilized everything and death. It made me uneasy the feeling of excitement that sent chills through my body when I smelt fresh blood. I spurred the thought from my mind. I crept along quietly, focusing on the technique that Colubra knew, to be completely silent when walking. Toe, heel, toe, heel. There were very few nurses on duty, and the ones that were didn't notice me. Even the guards seemed not to ignore me, 

'You're good, Colly.' I said praising her stealth.

'Don't call me that.' She thought. We both smiled inwardly. Finally we saw him.

'Dr. Friggin Carsio jerk face loser big up nasty head JERK head loser!!' Colubra smirked, even without my knowledge, she knew that that was a pretty weak dis. 

'We don't even know if Carsio did it.' She commented sensibly, I dismissed that fact.

Colubra straightened and walked up behind the doctor. Her adrenaline running through my veins.

'Don't hurt him.' I chided and my face spread into a smile. She lifted my arm and whipped the doctor around, he had been marking papers and they spewed on the ground. 

"Wha- what are you doing here!" With firm determination I raised my arm to his neck and slammed his body against the wall. I lifted his body with strength I didn't know I had a few inches off the ground. Carsio mumbled something about not being able to breathe.

"We need answers, and you will provide us with them." Carsio's eyes widened and he proceeded to nod as vigorously as he could despite the circumstances. I dropped him.

"It's taken control!" He said staring at me with fear and remorse from the flow.

"You had something to do with this?" I shouted at him as loud as I could without drawing attention from the many other medical personnel and more importantly guards in the building.

"No! I can't say anything! They'll kill me!" He huddled on the floor, his middle aged body shaking. He reminded me of my father.

I came over and placed my booted foot on his head grinding his face into the floor. Colubra's instincts and anger took over, I just watched like a spectator, having no say in what my body did at all. I cried inwardly at the image I had to watch.

"DO YOU THINK I WON'T!?" I screamed in anger, she was feeding off his fear, and enjoying it. My emotions had been amplified into pure rage. I pulled my foot off the man's head and grabbed him by the collar, hoisting him up to the standing position, but his knees were too weak to support him. I noticed out of the corner of my eye my bulging arm muscles as I supported his entire weight with my right arm.

"DO YOU KNOW WHAT I AM!" I screamed in his face, his eyes were shiny and looked like he was crying. I was also, inside, but Colubra's demoness was in control still. With all my heart I wished she would just let him go. 'Let him go!' I managed to yell at her. The voice screaming in her head finally distracted her enough to drop him. He pushed himself as far away from me as he could, cowering against the wall that had the indent of his back in. I noticed the redness on his cheek. 

'What are you doing! We had him!' Colubra fought back silently at me in my head.

'Not like this! Not like this!' * I yelled back. Colubra stopped.

'Yes. This is how it will be.' She responded coldly.

'What about this morning! This isn't you! Remember? You're like me! I wouldn't do this!' I begged.

'No, I serve Him. He would do it this way. You are not a variable in this equation anymore.' She blocked me out and focused her attention back to the now crouching form at the wall. During our conversation, Colubra hadn't noticed him reach to a tray and lift a razor sharp scalpel off the ledge. He now gripped it firmly behind his cloak. She cocked my head in puzzlement at his new confidence.

"What's behind the coat, doc?" He didn't move, his eyes locked with mine, I continued to look down at his arm, non-fearing anything with so little potential for strength. But he didn't need strength he had the element of surprise. With one swift movement I stepped forward to pull his arm from behind his back, but he had switched hands, I hadn't noticed because the inner fight had distracted me. He dug the scalpel with all his might into my stomach and ripped outward. I stood back - gaping from the pain, my mouth hung open. I raised my hands to my shirt, it was soaked with blood. I lifted it, the warm thick liquid spilling over my hands. I stumbled a few steps back as I saw the blood, everywhere, all over my clothes, my hands, on his hands. I looked back at him as my eyes fluttered from another wave of pain.

"You'll die for this." I stated.

The last image I saw was his face, and felt the hands of guards and doctors lifting me off the ground. 

Ya, well…hope ya like it. =D 

[GOD IS GOOD…sooooo good to me.

This is the good life, I lost everything, I could ever want ever dream of.

This is the good life, I found everything, I could even need, here in Your arms.

Good good life, good, good, life.

Good good life, oh lord.

Audio Adrenaline 4 ever. ^-^ ] that was a personal note…

* Matrix quote by that girl that dressed white when everyone else wore black...Hehehhehehhehehheh ^-^


	8. Inside Outside

Author's Note: I just have to thank my reviewers, y'all are the best and the only thing that keeps me writing my stories (hint hint: if you want more, review more :D) La la la, *uncomfortable silence* oh yea, ! My story! à

Wish

Chapter Seven: Inside Outside

It was dark, usually when I was in her head I could see through my eyes, but they were closed. Luckily, like most unconscious beings, I could still hear. Sometimes I wish I could close my ears.

The doctors had carried my body and treated the stitches, Dr. Carsio had actually helped, since he was one of the few doctors that new the truth about me. Lord Folken had been requested to check up on my condition every hour, and to take that report directly to the sorcerers. The four most deadly men in Zaibach, even Dilandau tried to stay away from them, or so he thought.

"She is very pale, her lips have no colour and her pupils are dilating at a delayed rate." The annoying bright light was shon into my eyes again. I couldn't tell, but I think it was another docter doing the current tests. "Her pulse is normal but her breathing is shallow." 

Folken stared from the corner of the room, away from the bright lights of the room. The memories dreadfully reminiscent of when Dilandau had had repurcussions of his 'changed fate', he suspected that the sorcerers had attempted this to the girl as well, since there could be no other reason for their interest. He stared at her still form, seeming small under the thin white sheets of the bed, her face pale and hair tousled.

What could they have done to her? 

"Sir?" The doctor had been trying to get his attention for a while now, finally Folken snapped out of the trance he was in and diverted his eyes from her body. "Would you like the report now?" the doctor asked and pushed the clipboard towards the tall brooding man. Folken took the report then proceeded to walk out of the medical wing and to the restricted area of the sorcers' laboratory, his dark black cape that matched theirs, flowing behind him. 

***

'Colubra?' I asked weakly, she had shut her mind from me. I felt her turn her back from me.

'It hurts.' She said, I didn't feel the wound in my stomach, while she had control she also felt everything with my senses, including pain.

'Why did you do it then.' I didn't really want to bring back the fact that she would've killed that man. I already knew her answer, but I wanted to hear it.

'You know why, I just do. I'm 'programmed' to.' She replied bitterly. Programmed to kill. Great, this was like a bad dream.

'Can't you control yourself from killing?' I asked meekly, searching for a solution.

'No more than you can control me.' 

***

Folken entered the dimly lit huge room that he had grown accustomed to spending his days in, the four sorcerers were still where they had been when he had come in an hour earlier. One stood, the other ignored him, hunched over and concentrating on their work on the drawing boards – some kind of new weapon or something, Folken had bee told it was only for those on a need –to –know basis, and he supposedly didn't need to know.

The one that stood was now standing before him, tall, like he, except bald and had had a bored look on his face, expecting Folken's report.

"No change." Was Folken's monotone response. The man furrowed his brow.

"Any explicit physical damage?" He tilted his head slightly to the side, 'Why would they care!' he said inwardly.

"The stab wound has been stitched and the effects of it will be minimal." Folken answered through clenched teeth. The sorcerer noticed this and turned from the man,

"You may go." And Folken turned to leave. 

***

'Man, over a hundred stitches in one week, what are you trying to do, kill yourself?' I asked, now becoming bored with doing nothing and itching for conversation.

Silence.

'I miss Shake & Bake chicken. I used to help my mom make it. And my kitten.' I said aloud. 'I could be snowboarding or tobogganing or having a sleep over right now, with all my friends. But no, I'm stuck on this dumb-ass planet stuck in my body but I can't do anything with it.' Colubra didn't flinch. 'My body's unconscious, right?' She nodded. 'What'll they do with us?' I referred the unknowns that had put her in me, since she admitted she wasn't here on her own will.

'They'll try to fix me.' I stopped my childishness and became serious.

'You _know_ who they _are_?' I screamed at her. She had only just remembered. 'We got to work on your memory, girl.' I said pissed off, and let her explain.

'They're the sorcerers, I think, they work for Zaibach, creating – stuff – helping Dornkirk.' She stumbled, recalling the memory only in fragments. 'I was a person, I think, just like you, no, no – I had no family. A warrior, discovered in the camps of Zaibach, they – signed me up and then – Folken, yes, Lord Folken brought me too them – the sorcerers – I, they did all these tests against my will – then I – I can't remember anymore.' She looked at me – since she had no form, I only got the general idea of what she did through her emotions. I smiled.

'It's alright. Do you remember why they'll try to fix you?' She nodded. She really was like a new born child to this world, other than what she was 'programmed' to do, she didn't really hate I don't think.

'Because you had control and hindered me from killing him.' My emotions dropped as they realization of exactly what I was dealing with hit me – evil, one of the few beings with potential to fall in love with Dilandau.

***

Folken walked into the room of working men for the eighth time that day, he was getting sick of their attitudes toward him, acting as if he was just an annoyance, even though he was at the same rank as they. 

"She has improved. Up to the standard you set at least, she is breathing normally." They sorcerers finally moved from their stations at his response and put away their things, one rolled out a large, steel bed, with leather restraints on it. An image flashed through Folken's head as he remembered himself being strapped onto it when some of the same doctors that were currently attending to Sara's body were assembling his metal arm onto his body. He had only been conscious for a brief time during the operation, but the images were still fresh in his memory. 'Bastards.' He thought, remembering the weak figure lying in the hospital bed.

"Send for her." Was all they said and Folken left the room for the last time that day.

***

They lifted my body and put me on a stretcher. I only knew that I was moving by the light breeze over my face. Colubra still felt the pain through my body, I guess I could refer to it now as her body, since we both had the rights to it – she controlled it, but I had been born into it. Colubra's eyes were still closed, she was still unconscious as she was wheeled into the large, echoing room.

"Leave us be." A deep voice said. One of the four voiced I would hear that night that Colubra vaguely remembered as the sorcerers.

***

Folken paced outside the door of the room. She had been in there for two hours, and the thick tall doors that separated them only kept out the voices, the occasional scream was what kept him there. He didn't know why he felt this way for her, like she was a younger sister, maybe is was her personality and stubbornness that reminded him of Van. And his loyalty might have something to do with her power hungry attitude that mimicked Dilandau. "Speak of the devil." He mumbled as Dilandau walked passed and noticed him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, he had been going somewhere, but the fact that Folken was standing outside the sorcerers 'lair' with a disturbed expression on his face enticed his curiosity. Dilandau turned and folded his arms, awaiting the response.

"It's the girl, Sara, they have her." Folken told, seeming to be annoyed at the fact he had to talk when he wanted to hear anything he could. Dilandau lowered his eyes, he knew the potential the sorcerers had, he slightly worried for her, than reasoned he shouldn't care and turned and left.

'Dilandau is one mysterious kid.' Folken thought, then turned his attention back to the unmoving door just in time to see Sara open it and walk out. He rushed to her side. 

"Folken – " She mumbled, then collapsed in his arms. He lifted her up, her small frame light in his arms and carried her to her room, where he left her on her bed for the rest of the day.

Ok, hope that didn't suck…I kind of got distracted half way through and started eating marshmallows…so ya…review me!!! 


	9. Dilandau

Author's note: I think Dilandau wouldn't hold her hand, so I just made him sit there 

^\__/^ 

ok, that lame attempt at making a big smiley face ended up making it look like a friggin badger. WHOO thank goodness I don't write these stories when I drink diet coke or they'd all be **really** hyper sounding…nope I write them in my bed at one am in the morning so that I can be all serious and stuff. Well any way….

This is fluff, fluff like feather fluff, no, goose down fluff, ya, that's it. Goose down fluff.

Wish

Chapter eight: Dilandau

Dilandau paced his room, it was really late but he couldn't sleep. He had undressed and was in his normal loose clothes when he started his annoying 'thinking'. 

__

Folken was doing this when he was waiting for her outside of the outside their lab, he thought, _ pacing like a dog wanting to go outside, all for her._ _Her_, _why does it always come back to her?_ Folken probably only cared for the girl because he was like his brother. Dilandau stopped walking and raised a finger to his cheek – slowly stroking his scar. _The dragon – I'll kill him. _As he dug his fingers deeper into the scar, making his cheek redden. _Then why do I like the girl so?_ Because she was also like him, a warrior, power hungry and bloodthirsty. He chuckled at the jibe. 

He had heard of what had gone on in the medical lab, no on knew why she had attacked him, but there were numerous rumors spread throughout about it. One he had heard his dragonslayors discuss was about a gash she had gotten to the side and how mutilated the face of the doctor was. But what did the sorcerers want with her?

__

I shouldn't be so attracted to her, I'm the head of the most elite team of fighters in the land, the Dragonslayors, I'm a rock.

Yet she is so beautiful, her attitude and disrespect turned him on every time she sneered at him, her fighting style was trained and clipped, yet she added in her own dirty moves in once in awhile to fasten the pace. Her long brown hair, ocean blue eyes, her beautifully tanned skin, her pink lips – "No!" he yelled at the silent, still room. _I have to stop thinking about her!_

The dragonslayors often talked about her body, she was the first girl their age in all their training history with Zaibach, and they were obsessed. He admired their concern over her lately; she had been in her room for the past two days after 'the incident', they called it, with the sorcerers. He was almost jealous of the attention they were giving her. _I'm better than them, I'm not obsessed, I won't let her get to me!_

He decided to go see her.

***

When he got to her room, the door was unlocked and no guard was present, _odd_, he thought – usually they had one there because they considered her a threat. He cursed them for thinking a fighter such as her would not be a threat. Then swallowed hard at the thought that maybe she wasn't anymore, maybe something had happened to make her not need supervision. _Why do I even care about her?_

He stood at the door for a few seconds, which seemed liked hours, then finally put his hand on the knob and twisted. The room was pitch black, Dilandau quietly put his foot in the room, when no voice of protest appeared, he stepped in and closed the door silently behind him. _Sara, her name is Sara._ He stood in the silence, waited until his senses adjusted to the lack of light and sound, and heard her gentle breathing. He found the outline on the bed and walked toward it. Dilandau knelt beside her - not the slightest sound except for the rustle of his clothes when he moved - and listened to her soft breathing, watching her face for the slightest indication that she was awake_, none, not even her eyelids were moving from a dream_, he thought, _poor kid_. The sound soothed him as the tiring day and sleepless night caught up to him. He glanced at the rise and fall of her chest under the covers, being with her felt so right. He leaned his back against the dresser, it was hard, yes, but at least he could see her. _I _am _obsessed._ He noticed her hand atop the covers, and gingerly reached up and touched it, smiling at its warmth. _I should get out of here before she wakes up._ But something inside him urged him to stay. In the silence he felt her heartbeat against on his fingers, _What am I doing!?_ He screamed in his head when he closed his hand over hers, _Who cares._ He reasoned, her slow pulse calmed him, as he rested his head on the side of the bed and fell asleep beside her.

Oh, gag me with a spoon! That was fluff, oh well. Tell me what Dilandau would REALLY do and I'll see if I can get up an alternate chapter to this one (or replace it with something better, yup, I'M ACTUALLY ASKING FOR YOUR OPINION – SO GIVE IT!), ya, like I said, one a.m. writing material…


	10. New Name

Author's Note: No, this will not become a full-fledged lemon, but Colubra does use her _knowledge_ to get pretty close. But I'm not like that, so it won't turn out like that. I think I'll have to change the rating…

Dedicated to: Melody

Wish

Chapter nine: New Name

Dilandau had left before I became conscious. I didn't remember anything after the hospital. These sorcerers knew what they were doing; they had both me _and_ Colubra telling all yet not remembering a thing. I knew that Dilandau's visit the night before had to have something to do with them, they were playing with our fates, Dilandau's, and mine but I could no longer do anything. I could only watch.

Colubra was working out; she had adrenaline that couldn't just be sufficed by punching a sack or a dummy.

"Twenty nine, thirty." And set the weights down above her, the eighty-pound bench press helped distract her from her uneasiness. As she sat up, Chesta gingerly approached her from behind.

"S-Sara?" He asked, they had become so/so friends, and the only dragonslayor that she talked too, yet he still felt nervous around her, since she was probably stronger than he was.

"My name is Colubra." She corrected bitterly, tilting her head back to get the last few drops from a water canteen. "Call me Colubra – what do you want?" She spat as she wiped the water from her mouth, impatient with the boy.

"Lord Dilandau wishes to see you." She frowned then proceeded to stand. "Sh-shall I tell him you are coming?" This had to be asked since she often didn't obey commands.

"Yes. I'll go." And she threw the canteen to the floor. 'I'm itching to fight, this better be important.' She thought, ignoring the bitter voice in her head.

***

Colubra got dressed into more fitting attire, basically her red sweatshirt and jeans and proceeded to leave her room to go see him, when the little blond boy popped up again. 

"What do _you_ want?" She said, walking quickly, trying to loose the boy unsuccessfully.

"It's just, just," the boy stuttered, "w-why did you change your name?" He looked genuinely concerned. Colubra stopped and turned to the boy, with an indifferent face and said,

"I didn't." 

The boy just looked quizzically at her as she continued to walk toward Dilandau' s quarters her hair flowing behind her as she went.

When Colubra got to his room, the door was open, and she walked right in, Dilandau was leaning back in a chair, his feet resting on the table in front of him, which had a small lamp on it, the only illumination to the room. His face looked ghastly pale in it's light, and it lit her figure eerily, sending dancing flames of light throughout the room. It was the mid-afternoon, but there was no light from outside was seen as the heavy curtains were drawn tight.

"Dilandau?" She asked tentatively after a silence that seemed like eternity. He smiled, twirling a sharp dagger in his hand, 

"Sara, you came." That dagger, the light on his face that made him look so menacing, just turned her on. His power, the fact that in this closed room, with nobody here except them and a dagger, made her scared, just excited her pulse more. She grinned at his figure, broad shoulders, which held such power and had killed so many, and his obsession with fire, as he stared intently into the flame, 

'All that and a bag of chips' I chimed in, her thoughts had distracted her from keeping me quiet, but soon I sunk into the darkness again. I was no longer Sara to them, I was Colubra.

"Call me Colubra," Dilandau frowned, he could've sworn Folken had said her name was Sara.

"Whatever."

"Why did you call me?" She asked, sliding closer to him, the danger of the dagger in his hand just made it more exciting. She placed her hand on his chair, hairs away from his bare shoulders. He was wearing his tight leather pants, but no shirt. She joined his stare at the flame.

"Will you do a favor for me?" He asked, more commanding than a question. Colubra agreed.

"There is a war coming, and since you are under Zaibach's care you are considered on their side." Dilandau stood and turned, grasping the dagger tight in his hand, stared at her menacingly. "Will that be a problem?" Colubra couldn't let him smell her fear so lazily avoided his glance.

"No, I don't know any other country on this god-forsaken excuse for a planet, why not use my services for yours?" She grinned at him, his odd colored eyes glittering as he watched her talk. She noticed the scar on his cheek, even whiter than his pale skin in the light. "Hey, it might be fun." She shook her hair away from her face nervously. He smiled at her response, then laughed, before turning back around and sitting down at the desk, which for the first time I noticed had maps on it.

"Yes…fun."

"What do you want me to do?" Dilandau ignored her question.

"Lord Folken is in charge of tactical maneuvers, we will have a meeting after dinner, the three of us." Colubra took that as a sign to leave and turned toward the door. "Wait," she stopped, her hand on the door, he didn't want her to leave. Dilandau took one last stare at her, she obeyed him, she listened to him, he wanted her. "Never mind. Go." And she left the room.

***

Folken stood at the head of the table, reviewing some papers, Dilandau sat across from me, idly playing with that same dagger again. I just sat in my chair, staring at them both. Folken finally looked up.

"Now, there is a threat of war coming between Zaibach and some of the Gaean countries, specifically Austuria, we need information, actually, we need your help all together." I looked up at Folken disbelieving.

"_You_ need _my_ help? What, to fight?" Folken grinned.

"No, you're knowledge of fighting techniques among other things, we heard that the mystic moon is advanced in that field." Colubra shook inside as she recalled the hideous memories of her education of the many wars of Earth's past. The brutal, vicious wars that rose such a strong opposition from Sara, she knew all too much about them, and had even bragged to the dragonslayors once about her knowledge of the battle of Versailles, on of the many brilliant attacks of the allies during world war one. Why, oh why had she? Now what would Colubra do with this knowledge? For once her in life Sara cursed her advanced grades in history class. 

Dilandau and Folken both stared at her, her blank expression hiding the inner turmoil that was coarsing through her. Sara didn't _ever_ want to see this lush green planet to have the same fate of Earth's. The two world wars was what started the major technological advancements in earth's history, if she loaned her knowledge of weaponry and technology to Zaibach, she could well be signing the deed to Gaea's doom.

"No, no, no, no!" Sara screamed from her throat, but Colubra knew that this was how it was supposed to be. With a puzzled look on both Folken and Dilandau's face, she smiled wickedly. "Yes. Yes, I'll help you."

"Good," Folken nodded, "there are some technicians in the hanger at your disposal, but first you will run by your ideas by me, I am a scientist, and can help." Colubra nodded, now to get the most vital information out of Sara, and how to use it.

"What of Dilandau?" She asked, then realized she shouldn't care, so quickly tried to cover her tracks as the boy stared at her for her interest in him. "What part does he play?"

Folken grinned, "He is in charge of the dragonslayors and all the attacks, his orders come from me, but as of now, you are both at equal levels." Dilandau shot Folken a threatening glance, how dare he put that new girl at the same rank as he? Oh well, if she was a scientist like Folken, her brains would be needed more than his for winning this war.

"Colubra, you may join me in my lab, Dilandau dismissed." Dilandau huffed off and Colubra walked out, how did he know to call me that? The same thoughts ran through Dilandau's head, but with some different conclusions.

__

Is there something between Folken and Colubra?

***

Colubra looked over the detailed design plans for the Alsiedes. It was a beautiful machine, Folken had done some major improvements to it through technology including the stealth cloaks, flight mode and curma claw. 

"They don't even have these on earth. Then again, they don't have guymelefs on earth either." Folken glanced up from what he was working on at the other side of the table.

"I guess seeing one for the first time must have been quite a shock then." Colubra nodded, actually, she had only seen the ones in the hanger, never one in real combat, but she didn't want to try one out, which was odd. "Do you have any ideas?" Colubra turned the thirtieth page, which was a diagram of the cockpit, this reminded Sara of a plane's, except it had a renaissance look to it. A flash back of night came in her memory, with her digital camera with night-vision, she could film at night.

"Are there many attacks at night?" She asked, not taking her eyes off the picture, she formulated exactly where it could be put.

Folken furrowed his brow, "At night? Of course not, its too dark unless there is a full moon. Even then cloud cover – " Colubra cut him off. 

"It's called a sneak attack. They used to be around dawn or dusk and they would take the enemy by surprise in one of the wars of the Mystic Moon. You do this with stealth cloaks, but what if you wanted to go by night? Catch them even more off guard, using this technology you can literally see as if it was as bright as day with even the smallest amount of light. That's why they dub it night-vision." Folken smiled, he literally smiled. Colubra continued on into the details of the device and how to put it into the guymelefs excitedly, while Sara sat huddled in the corner of her mind, praying that she wouldn't remember anything else considered 'useful'.

Dilandau stood, looking in through the crack of the door, the dim light in the room shining on his eye. Folken was smiling? What could they be talking about that makes them so animated? How was Folken looking at her? Is he interested or was this just a figment of my imagination? Oh…..why do I like her so?!

At the next 'flirtatious' push of hair behind her shoulders, Dilandau stormed off, with Chesta watching him from around the corner, wondering what could possibly make his peeping- tom captain so angry, then realized _she_ was in there.

"Figures." He muttered, before turning back. He had no chance with Colubra if _Dilandau_ had his heart set on her. He'd just have to settle to fantasize about her in his dreams like the rest of the dragonslayors. 

Ok…hope you liked it. REVIEW ME oh ya….

And I'm telling you now, if you DO review this chapter J next chapter will include your FAVOURITE dragonslayor with lots of cool action and givin some beats to ***ahem* **Oops , said too much already J

Hint hint: A CHARACTER THAT HASN'T BEEN MENTIONED YET eee hee hee, im sooo evil.


	11. Taking A Walk

Author's Note: This is a long chapter.

Wish

Chapter ten: Taking A Walk

Folken and Colubra had stayed up until dawn planning everything up and solving the holes in Sara's knowledge about the technology. Finally at dawn, Dilandau was sent in to wake them up. Actually it had been a draw of straws, and Dilandau had gotten the short one. He grumbled all the way there, then knocked angrily at the hard steel door.

Colubra answered, hair tousled, luckily wearing the same clothes she had had on the night before. He gave her a once over then talked.

"We move today, you're needed, and – you slept through breakfast." She blinked at him. Then smiled and laughed. He stared at her, not understanding what was so funny.

"Ok, Dill. When am 'needed'?" He frowned at the nickname. And looked past her to see Folken awake from his desk.

"Now, actually. Interrogation of a suspected spy. I think he might have important information, then we'll see." She raised an eyebrow. _He_'d think I'd like it? Well she would, but still.

"I'll be there in five." She said, and went back into the room, collected some rolled up papers, and headed to her own quaters to change.

***

What looks intimidating? She asked herself as she scanned over Sara's clothes. The jeans, dark blue and baggy, definitely. But for a shirt? A tank top, yes, to show her muscles. Then some dark make-up. She looked in the mirror in her room, 

'Scary.' Sara responded to the silent question Colubra was asking of how she looked.

"Shut up." She said coldly and walked out of the room, towards the dungeon, and to the person she would be interrogating. 

***

The dungeon was cold and dark, metal everywhere, the bars, the floor, the ceiling, it sent chills down her pine. I like this place, she thought.

Dilandau led her down another flight of stairs, it must be near the base of the fortress, if it ever crashed, the prisoners would go first, nice.

"Here he is, he's been tough all morning and night, maybe you know a tactic that could work? He has important knowledge, we believe he is very close to Allen Shezar, a knight for Austuria." Colubra stared at the man, hunched over in the corner of the cell, it had been lit, but he had thrown a rock and broken the light, the effect made him look small yet she could tell he was powerful. "he hasn't said a word, but we have orders not to kill him." Colubra smiled. That was easy, not killing someone, maybe torturing this man would relieve some of the tensions she had when she wanted to fight.

"Does he have a name?" She asked, her eyes never leaving his form, 

"Gadess." She smiled and opened the barred door, leaving Dilandau and a guard behind her. 

"Leave us." She said, then approached the huddled form.

***

It had been four hours, she had missed her lunch and Gadess had not said more than a moan of pain since she got in, yet she refused to give up. Her assignment was to get the whereabouts of King Fanel, and she planned on getting it. She lay beside the bruised man, staring at his face, dried blood on his lips and around his eyes.

"Why don't you tell me?" She asked delicately, like a small child, he stared blankly through her.

"My loyalty…is to Allen Shezar…I will…not forsake him." He worded. She sat up, and sighed.

"I don't know why, it's not like he cares for you. He hasn't even noticed your gone, he still thinks your out in the forest on your day of rest, why then, if you're so loyal to him, does he not even send out a search party?" The mental barrier that he had held for so long was slowly deteriorating, she could tell, she just had to wait. "Does he even care for the years of your life you've spent giving your heart and soul to that crew? You've gotten him out of many scrapes I'm sure, and yet – he doesn't come when you need him? What a jerk." Colubra stood, staring down at the young, muscular man huddled in the fetal position at her feet.

"It's not like this piddling piece of information will hurt anyone." Finally his silence stuck a chord.

She reached down and pulled his raven black hair back, exposing his face to her fist. "Do you want me to hit you some more?! TELL ME WHERE HE IS!!" She drew her arm back and whipped her fist across his face, slamming his head to the cold floor. He coughed – a spot of blood stained the floor. 

He wearily brought his back up, on all fours, then, using the wall for support, dragged his body upwards. He leaned against it, staring at her almost drowsily. She stayed quiet, arms folded across her chest, her fists making her biceps even larger than they were.

"I will never tell you." And he spat at her, she smiled, even started to laugh, then brought her knee into his stomach, he fell once again to the floor. Colubra crouched down near to his face to hear the words he was whispering. "…the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil…" She stood to leave,

"Mmm…well you'll fear me." 

***

Dilandau had come in every now and then to check up on her, and had marveled at her ruthlessness. Even his dragonslayors weren't that rough, and she had kept him alive too. Finally she emerged from the depths to the dining hall where lunch was being served. Dilandau had eaten late so was the only one left sitting there, she sat by him, eating the same gruel that was served to him. She looked exhausted. 

"Anything?" He asked between bites, even with her hair messy and her eyes droopy she was beautiful.

"No, but if he's so intent on not letting us know, then his commander must be close to the king. This guy practically worships him, so wouldn't dare let him get endangered by the likes of us." Dilandau watched her eat hungrily, yet neatly.

"So you think he's with the knight?" he asked, taking a sip of water. She smiled,

"I don't know, but he has to be Austuria. Quite frankly, I don't care whether either of them have important 'information' for Dornkirk, I just want to fight them. I heard the King was a great swordsman." She noticed Dilandau stop his eating. And with a cold voice he said,

"You can fight Allen Shezar, but leave the dragon to me." He glanced up at her, she looked hurt and he instantly regretted what he said and tried to make up for it. "If it interests you, he has a girlfriend who constantly gets in the way, if you got rid of her, that'd be a help." Then she smiled, got up, walked over to him and gently kissed him on the cheek.

"Thanks, Dill." She said a little too perky, Dilandau blushed beet red, trying to contain his urge to smile unsuccessfully as she walked out.

He put his hand up to his cheek like a love-struck fool, only his feelings were dashed as he realized she had kissed his scar. _Why does the dragon always come back to haunt me!? _

He'd kill him, he'd kill that dragon one day.

***

Folken had a plan. The next day she suited up and got ready to go out, her assignment was to a) get Allen Shezar to cough up information about a secret weapon Zaibach had heard rumors of and/or b) get the girl from the Mystic Moon, Earth, Hitomi. The second one interested Sara immensely, because it might be a way for her to return home, but Colubra just wanted to fight someone, and for Dilandau, to impress him. Both ways were up to her to decide how to execute, a big responsibility, apparently her performance with Gadess had impressed someone up the line.

Colubra and the mechanics had installed night-vision into one of the guymelefs, and since she didn't know how to use one, she would need a dragonslayer to go with her. Dallet was picked, because he was the only one with a girlfriend and considered 'capable' to handle Colubra.

At the briefing, Folken explained the route which we would take, it was through an underground cave system, and ordinarily would be not maneuverable because of lack of light, thus causing it to be unguarded by the alliance. But with the new installation onboard, they would have a safe, and secretive journey to the outskirts of Austuria, closer than anywhere else they could get without being noticed. Dallet was excited to be picked for this mission, but Colubra kept sending him dirty glances to keep him humble.

***

We went down through the mountains, travelling quickly in flight mode, and invisibly near inhabited areas. Any discovery of a Zaibach guymelef would be forwarded to Austuria immediately and it would be ruined. Dallet was a good pilot, finally, they found the cave entrance and descended about a hundred feet.

"Dallet, now switch it on." He obeyed and she smiled at his reaction.

"Everything's green! I can see everything! It's like day in here." After the pitch black of the cave, the light he saw must have been comforting. Colubra was at home in the darkness.

"Do you see which way we are to go?" She asked, quick to get back to business – she had decided to stay outside the guymelef, on its shoulder, the cockpit would be rather squished if she had gone inside.

Dallet nodded and we continued in silence. The dark, dank pit echoed every sound, and the silent flying guymelef made no sound. Dallet's heart rate was getting faster, she could hear it only so short a distance away. 

"Just breathe Dallet." It echoed and he quickly obeyed. Now I know some of the power Dilandau has, they completely trusted and devoted themselves to him. She wanted to share that power with him. Finally a spark of light was seen ahead. "Do you see that?" 

"Ya, how can I not? It's so bright!" 

"Turn off the night-vision, Dallet." He obeyed.

"Oh ya, thanks." As the light consistently got bigger, the guymelefs speed slowed. I squinted as my eyes adjusted to the bright light, and brought my hand up to my face to help. The sun was shining down in the cloudless day, the forest surrounding the caves exit, the trees towering above. The guymelef stopped, and I jumped down from its shoulder so that it could transform back into normal mode so stealth cloak could be applied. "What now, boss?" Dallet asked, settling the Guymelef beneath a tree. She didn't answer for a moment, off in her own little world.

'I look forward to this.' She thought, the beautiful landscape, the trees, birds chirping and the soft, cool ground beneath her feet calmed Sara, and distracted the girl from Colubra thoughts of fighting. The forest reminded her of home, even Colubra seemed to enjoy it. 'Enough of that.' She cut, she couldn't get distracted from the mission at hand. Dallet jumped down from the cockpit, still awaiting her answer.

"Hear, throw this on." She said, whipping out a civilians outfit and threw it at him. He stopped short.

"Uh…where?" She turned, 

"Here. Now, don't be ashamed." She smiled at his childishness. "I've seen it all before, I had a brother." Sara swore at her for using her memories like that, and stealing her life. Dallet gave her an odd look, she had that blank look on her face again. He quickly used the opportunity to slip on the pants. Colubra snapped out of it just in time to see his abs being covered by the shirt. 'These dragonslayors are friggin gods!' She thought, containing her urge to smile and jump him. Dallet was still giving her an odd look. "What?" She asked, and he turned around to put his uniform back in the cockpit. 

Dallet now looked like any other citizen of Austuria and Colubra looked, well, normal. She never wore armor. "Come now, we will go to the castle and kick some Shezarade ass!" Dallet laughed and they continued through the forest, well, about a hundred feet, until they were ambushed.

Colubra sensed them first, and immediately knew they were out numbered. She walked up close to Dallet, took his hand and rested her head on his shoulder. Before he could jump away, she practically ripped his hand off. "Dallet, we're surrounded, keep walking, you're my husband, now, understand? Let me do the talking." She whispered in his ear smiling. Then giggled, he caught on and did the same. Soon the men on horseback and off ran out of their cover and surrounded them. Colubra screamed and buried her face in Dallet's chest, "Do you recognize any of them? Or are these just bandits we can fight off?" Dallet looked around, the men looked pretty ragged, except for one, he had the royal armor of Austuria on. Dallet sneered. 

"These are Allen Shezar's men, he's one of the heavenly knights. As a matter of fact, he's here now." Colubra swore, she had just finished torturing one of his men yesterday, she'd have to keep her cool. She turned, still in Dallet's arms. Allen was riding a white horse, his sword dangly dangerously close on his thigh.

"You there, what are you doing so far out in the forest? There are threats of war you know." He yelled at them. Colubra grinned and muttered, "fool." To Dallet, then turned pretending to sob into his chest. 

"We're on our honeymoon, we were just taking a walk when we got lost." She whispered into his ear and Dallet relayed it Allen in a commanding voice. Allen smiled, 

"All right, just be careful, there might be Zaibach spies around." Dallet nodded vigorously,

"Ask him if we could hitch a ride to the city." She whispered.

"What? Are you crazy?" Colubra shot him a look, she was in command, he will obey her. He grumbled, and soon she was on the back of Allen Shezar's horse, with Dallet on another's. She felt like removing the dagger from her boot and stabbing him in the side now. But she was tired, and decide she should keep her energy to fight him in store for later. Sara enjoyed his manly musk, and the fact that she could feel his abs with her arms wrapped around his stomach. Colubra rolled her eyes.

The horse had to jump a fence at one point and on the landing, Colubra yelled, the stitches in her side had torn. She gritted her teeth as Allen's horse stopped and the one Dallet was on did also, but the other went ahead.

"You alright milady?" She felt like punching him. She withdrew her hand from her stomach to see the blood. 

"Carsio, you son of bitch, you'll die for this." She grimaced, keeping her jaw tight with the pain. Allen stared at her for her use of such language. "Sorry, it just hurts a lot." She covered, and Allen nodded. 

After some first aid treatment, Allen took it upon himself to bring us to the castle for treatment – I smiled at Dallet. It couldn't get any easier than this.

***

TA DA! Yup, that's my favourite Dragonslayor that hasn't been mentioned yet. And I got to beat up Gadess, even though I love him so, just makin Colubra extra evil….moo ha ha….well anyway. **_REVIEW_** thanks. J


	12. Fair-weather Friend

Author's Note: Why doesn't anyone review my chapters? Do you not like them? Do you not want to read more? *sob* please review, its my water, it's my life! Oh please? Thank you! And tell me what you like so I know what to put, kay?

I spent a long time on this chapter, please be nice ^-^

Wish

Chapter eleven: Fair-weather Friend

Colubra sat up in the bed, it was comfy, pillows everywhere. Some girl name Millerna gave this whole speech to Allen about him ruining our 'honeymoon' and therefore should be treated royally. That is why Dallet was sitting in the overstuffed chair beside her and a nurse was attending to her wound. She had gotten fresh stitches, and the wound was once again healing. Quite frankly, it pissed her off and she swatted the woman's hand away. The short woman sighed and then left. Once she was sure she was gone, Colubra turned to Dallet.

"I knew Allen was a knight, but I think a less physical maneuver will be necessary to get any information on this 'objective'." She said lowly, guards were everywhere, but with her voice little more than a whisper; her discussion would just be considered 'sweet nothings' in her husband's ear. Dallet nodded. At least he was being professional about this whole ordeal, she couldn't say that if someone like Chesta had come, but he was cute all the same – cute – a word that Sara described him as. Colubra couldn't let her in; she had to remain control. Dallet snapped her out of her inner battle.

"Colubra!" He stared at her confused at her silence, for he had been trying to get her attention for a while now. "Are you awake?" She flashed him a reassuring smile.

"Yes, it's just the loss of blood, you know, its taking its toll." He nodded, not quite sure whether or not to believe her. 

"How will we do this? This non-physical attack on Shezar?" Right down to business, that was Dallet.

"Oh" She hadn't thought that far ahead, but an idea popped into her head, "how does snooping sound?" He raised an eyebrow. "You know, try to find files? We don't have to fight him, especially if he's as hard as his men, he's probably harder to get information out of, so it'd probably be wiser to just look for files, there has to be a treasury or main headquarters." Dallet nodded, again. Then her brain proposed a flaw in her plan. "But anything this big pertaining to the war would be highly classified, it may not even be in a known room in the castle."

"You mean a hidden room?" He asked, intrigued, Colubra nodded, then smiled. 

"That's it! Now, all we have to do is some listening in and you know, follow them around. Actually, it'd be easier if we were on good terms with them, then be the last suspected." Dallet watched the soldier formulate the plan in her head, smiling at her revelations and strokes of genius. "Dallet?" She turned back to face him, "get comfortable! We're stayin' awhile!"

***

"Help! Help us! My wife!" Dallet yelled outside to the guards, instantly the two opened the door. The first went to her bedside; the second went to get the nurse, or Millerna. Dallet followed that one, leading him by the shoulders into an empty hallway, where he was abruptly knocked out cold by Dallet's fist then shoved into an unused closet. Dallet shoved a small needle into the unconscious mans arm, which would strip him of any memory of the event and keep him under for 48 hours. Dallet quickly put on the man's uniform and went back to the room, where he found Colubra standing, adjusting the gloves on her knew guards uniform, with the other guards body, injected with the same serum laying outside her window.

Dallet shot her a look; "You put him outside?" She smiled and nodded,

"With a bottle of gin and the smell of alcohol-drenched clothes, I thought it was more interesting." Dallet couldn't help but laugh. "Come, someone important is bound to realize there are no guards here." So they both went outside, and as if on cue, Allen Shezar and Millerna walked by.

A proud knight would never look a mere door guard in the eye, so they had no problem with him recognizing them. Millerna was the first to ask, and Dallet answered, not wanting to draw attention to Colubra's female voice. 

"How are our guests?" Just like rehearsed, Dallet answered swiftly.

"They went to the market, milady." She frowned. And Allen tapped his foot impatiently, apparently he had somewhere better to go. Colubra decided that maybe she should follow, at a safe distance of course, she was just as impatient as Allen to get this brief annoyance out of the way.

"They weren't supposed to leave, oh well, did they leave their things?" Dallet affirmed her. She smiled, then left with Allen. Colubra looked over at Dallet, he nodded, he knew they were to follow. After the couple walked around a corner, they turned and walked briskly behind them, acting like guards do.

Down the halls of the castle they went, Millerna ended up turning off at one point, but Dallet and her continued on Allen's path, Colubra leading the pursuit. Luckily for them, Allen was in a hurry, and therefore led a pretty direct path to his objective. At one point she noticed the other guards dressed like themselves standing at attention, then abruptly bowing. She noticed a boy, around her age, most likely younger, and a girl accompanying him. Dallet whispered in her ear,

"The King of Fanelia, Van Fanel." The two stared the boy down as they passed, of course he didn't _mean _to look the guards in the eyes, but the second he did, he knew that in the future, their paths would cross again. Colubra grinned, she couldn't help herself, she was looking at a boy with a price on his head, and Dilandau wanted to kill him, which was enough to excite them both. Then she noticed the girl beside him, or, Sara noticed her. Her light brown hair hung around her eyes and she wore a classic Japanese school uniform. That girl was from earth, Sara's earth. My earth. She wanted to go to her so badly, she wanted to talk to her, ask her a thousand questions, her green eyes met with Colubra's dark blue ones, and a look of sympathy crossed her face. They were connected, and that tie brought Sara into control, for a brief second, but she couldn't move her feet, she couldn't bring herself to go to her. And soon they passed, the image of their back's allowing Colubra to regain composure. She shook her head, Colubra's thoughts were much different than Sara's. For she wanted to take Hitomi, take her away from her boy, and teach her to fear, to fear Colubra.

***

They had lost Allen. The knight had continued on, avoiding the small convoy of royalty to get to his destination, and Colubra cursed herself for it, or at least Sara. She had to keep in control of this girl, this body, if she wanted to succeed with her mission. They decided to go back to their room and undress, maybe get a little closer to the Fanelia King as civilians, and Colubra closer to Hitomi. 

Colubra had changed and was waiting outside for Dallet, when Hitomi passed by. She was with a young cat girl, Colubra stared at her, her appearance stirring a memory within her. Not Sara's, her own, something about her past. Unfortunately she was programmed to ignore it and couldn't dwell on the idea too long. She stared at Hitomi, had she come to see her? Sara became excited. She approached Colubra.

"Hello." She said, the cat-girl cowered behind her at the sight of me, I guess my strong arms and cold look would scare someone so small. It made me smile. Hitomi smiled back, fool girl. I stared her down, what did she want? Could I pull off taking her hostage now? No, not if I wanted to get that information on the secret weapon Austuria had. Unless…

An idea came into being in Colubra's head, another stroke of genius on her part, another plan that would keep make her ride to the top of Zaibach intelligence all the sooner. She remembered her admiration of Folken, truly he'd be proud. Hitomi did some annoying small talk before Colubra invited her in, to meet her 'husband'.

***

Dallet had been showering, apparently the guard's uniform he had stolen was sweaty, and sweat was his pet peeve, this just made Colubra roll her eyes. Hitomi and the cat-girl, which she had introduced as Merle, sat in two chairs by the window, the body of one of the guards about ten feet away from them. She prayed that they wouldn't notice his scent. Colubra threw the guards uniforms under the bed before they noticed, maybe they'd come in handy later. She went over to the two and sat across from them.

"I'm sorry, I had hoped you could meet my new husband, but he is showering." Colubra smiled the nicest smile she could as she pictured the different ways of killing the sweet girl of the dragon. Sara hated her, she just wanted to know how to get home, and get away from the demon that was Colubra. Unfortunately, Colubra was in control of her mouth. Hitomi and Merle laughed politely. Then Hitomi spoke up.

"I noticed that you wore some extremely different clothes, may I ask where you got them?" Colubra, almost in self-defense stared down at what she was wearing. What was wrong with her clothes? Oh, Hitomi recognized them, her designer jeans and tank top was not something you would find on Gaea very often. 

"Oh this? Why, I…" Colubra stuttered, she couldn't let Hitomi know who or what she was. "found them. I found them." If Hitomi started to talk or ask questions about Earth, she didn't know what Sara might do. Hitomi nodded sullenly. As if any hope she had had was gone. There was an awkward silence, thankfully, Dallet emerged soaking wet wearing only a towel to distract them _all_ from the conversation, even Merle's eyes went wide at the wet, toned muscles that was Dallet. The boy stood, stunned, in front of them, before running behind the door. Colubra laughed, joined by the other two, Hitomi had politely averted her eyes, but Merle just stood there blushing like crazy at the hot, half-naked boy before her. I smiled at them.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, I'm not sorry _I_ had to though." We all laughed heartily as the boy struggled to get some pants on behind the door. When Dallet finally came in, I whispered in his ear to stay quite, and the conversation was normal, female stuff. Mostly clothes, hers and mine, all very proper conversation. Finally, after about half an hour of the dull dabble, and Merle and Dallet were so bored they could sleep, Hitomi suggested to leave; I had to stop myself from literally jumping at the opportunity. Once they left I leaned on the back of the door, exhausted from the pathetic conversation.

"I think she thinks you like her." I opened my eyes and smiled, Dallet was just standing there, eyeing me.

"Perfect, then it'll be easier to betray her." He grinned, understanding my plan.

They slept together that night, in the same bed, not any sex, though Dallet did find her snuggled against his chest in the morning. She smelled of outside, fresh air and forest, with her own sweet fragrance, she reminded him of his girlfriend. He rolled over, his back turned to her, he knew the way Dilandau looked upon her, all of the dragonslayors could see it; and he wouldn't dare get in his way. 

***

The next day, the couple was invited to have breakfast with Hitomi, which meant Van would be there, and Allen as well. She recalled images from Sara's past, of school shootings where they took machine guns and shot everyone there. Wouldn't it be efficient if she could do that. Why the authorities and general public was so shocked from the action on Earth, she didn't understand. Teenage boys always went to war, some still did on earth, some younger than that. No surprise that something like that would happen, it was a shame, but not a surprise. Colubra wondered what her past was like, if she had ever experienced sadness like that. She new, deep down she had, maybe with her family, she wasn't sure, but she had. She closed her mind off from the thoughts as she and Dallet walked down the hallway to the dining hall. Soon she would be on the road to trust from Hitomi, then it wouldn't be long until her plan would be in full swing.

***

Colubra had asked Hitomi to come in after breakfast to her room, Dallet was there as well, though she didn't know it, and the girl had complied. Unfortunately, Merle had invited her self as well, that was alright though, she mattered a lot to Van as well, and maybe, with his strong will of protection over the two, it might be enough to get Allen to spill. All they wanted was information, and with Hitomi, Allen's current love interest and Van's cat-girl as hostage, Colubra was sure that one or the other would succumb.

Hitomi stepped into the room, with Colubra leading her, Merle was quick behind, raving about the theatrical performance that was scheduled for that night, and Dallet was standing out of view behind the door. As much as Colubra wanted to bash the girl's head in, being the dragon's girl, that had caused Lord Dilandau so much strife, she settled to the same way that she had gotten the guards clothing. With one swift movement she grabbed the girl, wrapping her hands behind her back and stabbing the needle into her neck. Within seconds the concoction began to work and with a faint scream she fell limp in her arms. Merle had turned to run but was now struggling with Dallet, Colubra was ashamed that the boy was limping from the small cat-girl's hard kick in his manhood, so she delivered a high kick to her head, knocking her unconscious, and saving one of the small needles for later use.

"I thought you said we weren't to harm them." Dallet asked, out of breath,

"You were taking too long." Colubra sighed, she then cocked her head to one side. "Damn, they heard her scream." She said as she heard the rushing guards to their room. Quickly Dallet, lock the door, we need to get onto the roof." He immediately obeyed, and with her carrying the Hitomi and Dallet carrying the cat-girl, they escaped through the window of their room.

***

Millerna came running into the private meeting that was with King Aston himself, King Fanel and Allen Shezar, out of breath. "They have Hitomi!" She managed. Allen immediately got up and helped her into a chair, as Van put his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Who?" He raised his voice at her. Allen shot him a glance, but Millerna brushed it off. 

"That couple, they are holding Hitomi and Merle, we don't know yet, but they're asking for you two, Allen and Van. People think they're soldiers, but no one knows." Van clenched his jaw and Allen noticed the gesture, and returned it with a concerned sigh. 

"We have to go to them." Allen decided, "King Aston, may we reconvene after this is resolved?". The king nodded, dismissing them, and the three abruptly left.

***

Colubra had decided that they would do best above the courtyard, the roof had defensive stones built into it, to protect it from direct attacks from arrows and such. The good part about this part of the tower, was that they could only be attacked from the bottom, each side they had booby-trapped, in which only she knew how to get out of, and she let Dallet in on a few as well. She sat, looking through the cracks at the small crowd below, which consisted of Allen Shezar, Van, Millerna and a few guards keeping the maids and other servants away from gawking. Colubra enjoyed this, and knew, if she had to, could run through a passage she had discovered that was a secret tunnel to the outside. She got Dallet to routinely check it, no one ever guarded it, so it was assumed to be too old to be remembered. Finally after a lot of low whispering, Allen stepped forward.

"Tell us what you want." Colubra looked down at the figure below, it was around noon, and the man seemed not to be too threatening.

Colubra stood, to the surprise of the crowd, most of the rumors were that the husband had gone mad and held his wife captive as well. She grinned down at the knight. "Hello, Allen Shezar. I was just wondering, you know, if we could make a trade." Allen grinned.

"If you want money, all you have to do is give us back the girls and we'll send you on your way with as much as you want." He said, Van stood nervously behind him.

"Money? Why that would be nice, but what we want is information." She reached down below her to where Hitomi was 'sleeping'. She lifted the girl with her left arm, holding her by the back of her shirt into plain view. "Pretty, isn't she?" Van immediately stepped forward.

"Let her go!" he yelled. Colubra laughed and put the girl down behind her. 

"Why Van, you understand don't you? You want the cat too? All I want is Allen for an half an hour, unguarded, no weapons, that's not too much to ask." She smiled down on them, Van shot a look at Allen. Would he comply? Allen turned his back on Colubra, and worded something to Van. She stared at them, noticing every movement they made, and the one mistake they made that probably saved her life; Van glanced at the archers Allen was referring to. Now she knew. 

Hitomi was coming to, Colubra squatted down beside her, Dallet held a knife inches away from the already awake Merle, it was near dusk, they had been there all day, and still no one had complied. They knew that the couldn't shoot the arrows randomly there in risk of hitting the hostages, the same with smoking them out or any other kind of force. Allen had often threatened them with torture or death, but Colubra just laughed it off. Finally, with Hitomi awake, she had more cards on her side.

"I had, the weirdest dream…" She moaned, still drowsy, Colubra smiled innocently.

"Did it have anything to do with the me kidnapping you and threatening to kill you if I didn't get the information I wanted from your lover? Allen?" Hitomi, still groggy nodded, then realization sunk in, and her eyes grew wide with fear. Colubra laughed and held a sharp, bone dagger to her throat. Hitomi screamed, but Colubra clapped her hand over the girl's mouth, and dragged her to the edge of the roof, where Van and Allen had stood when hearing the scream. A writhing Hitomi, hands tied behind her and throat exposed, stared down from the height. Van yelled her name. Colubra once again cackled evilly.

"Come on, Van, if you love her so much, just let me have the information. All I want is the information!" She screamed down at him.

"You'll pay for this bitch!" He yelled back. Both Allen and Van knew that the 'information' had to do with the secret weapon, the chance that these were Zaibach spies was pretty high, but they couldn't declare war unnecessarily, especially if the two hostages had no importance to any of the countries in the alliance, only a knight and a king of a demolished country. Colubra knew this, but also, after the long delay and constant pleas of ignorance realized that they weren't going to give in. She didn't let Dallet know this though. 

***

Colubra sat beside the tied and gagged girl, Merle had managed to fall asleep, along with Dallet, but Hitomi had stayed awake, along with Colubra. She stared lazily at the girl from the Mystic Moon, Earth. The moon was up and it cast a devious glow around all her surroundings. How she would love to slit her throat for Dilandau, but Sara wouldn't let it. No, Sara had a power much like Hitomi's, and she would not let Colubra sever that connection. She reached over and pulled the piece of cloth from the girl's mouth. She moved her jaw to get the stiffness out of it and Colubra leaned back again.

"Thank you." She mustered. Colubra noticed very little fear in her eyes,

"Why don't you fear me like you should?" She asked, genuinely perturbed. Hitomi just smiled.

"I don't think you'll actually harm me, you just want to do this for another reason, not to kill me." How did she know that? How could she have such faith?

"Is that it?" Colubra looked down at her hands folded across her legs which were bent upwards against the other side of the roof. The passage was only wide enough for one person to walk down, so it was slightly cramped. Then and there Sara wished this stupid thing would just end, get away from Austuria and go back to Zaibach. Colubra agreed, 'But not without a fight.' 

***

Near dawn, it was completely silent, a few birds chirped their morning song, and the dew dusted everything. Allen had gone in for the night, but Van had stayed in the courtyard. Hitomi was asleep, along with Merle and Dallet. Colubra hadn't slept at all that night, she had been thinking too hard. She crawled over to Dallet, who woke with a start. She pressed her hand against his mouth to prevent him from making a loud sound. With a quick flick of her wrist he understood that they were moving. He motioned to the sleeping girls, she just shook her head. Then he turned to leave; they crawled along the roof in the pre-dawn light, behind the cover of the large stone walls, until they found the entrance to the secret passage. Dallet went in first, and Colubra followed, just as she was turning to close the door, she saw Hitomi, awake, staring at her – without the gag in her mouth. Colubra raised a finger to her mouth, "Shhh." And Hitomi smiled, she had to trust the girl, it was her only way out. Dallet ran down the stairs, Colubra turned, right on his heels. Praying Hitomi would keep quite. They got to the outside of the castle grounds and broke into a full fledged run through the streets of Austuria, a market day, people were up getting their carts ready as they ran in and out of them. Finally they reached the outskirts of the city, and the edge of the forest, panting like dogs. She smiled at Dallet, and they started to laugh hysterically, they had pulled it off! They walked into the early morning forest, fresh and new it was. The walk to their guymelef would be much longer on foot than by horsehide, halfway there, the lack of sleep caught up on Colubra, and she decided the would rest, so they found a patch of fresh, green grass and lay down.

"So much for the objective." She mumbled as she lay back, the sun warming her body and lulling her to sleep, Dallet agreed, and they fell into a exhausted sleep.

~ah…thank goodness _that's_ done!

I spent a long time on this chapter, so please review and tell me what you think (now don't be shy and tell you're friends about it if you think it's good, cause I need all the people reading this I can get!!!)


	13. Rainy Day

A/N: Same as before except with rain. And Dilandau rescues her (basically the next chapter combined, either too lazy to save it as something else, or thought I was getting too many chapters…you decide)
    
    THIS IS DEDICATED TO MY FRIEND CLAUDIA 

(yes the one to whom I refer to in the prologue and throughout the story)

Wish

Chapter twelve: Rainy day

Colubra was in the same dark room, her body ached from exhaustion, but more importantly, her mind. Her head felt like it wasn't there, it was a void of thought, just pain. She stared blankly at the men before her, they looked her down indifferently. She was, as they called her, the 'subject', and all she felt was numbness towards them. At first it was hate, but the testing had drained any energy left out of her so that she was too tired to feel, and in too much pain to care. The large machine began to whir again, she knew soon, like always, they would try the same tactics, she didn't know why they didn't kill her, this torture had no point for they didn't ask her any information, and that's what was so mentally challenging.

"Please…stop…"

Sara hadn't been feeling that great lately, so really needed to have some down time with her friends. Kickboxing was off for a while do to something she didn't care enough about to remember and her grades were slipping. When she arrived at Claudia's house, she was glad that she had friends to ease the pain. Lauren and Katie were already there and once she arrived they all set out to the tobogganing hill.

In a mock sentimental voice, one that often caused her friends to laugh, Sara belted out, "I love you guys!" then pretended to sniff and swung her arms around her two nearest friends, they all grinned and Katie said, "We know." It was fun being with them, time you could take your mind off the burdens of life, and just chill. Of course, as with all good things, it would be cut short unexpectedly.

Colubra had never wanted to do the bizarre take-over of another person's mind, but through the brainwashing and deeply rooted devotion to Zaibach, she never had a choice. She had found herself in someone else's body, and her instincts that had been drilled into her as a soldier and a pawn of the sorcerer's was to take over. Sara was too scared and too intimidated by the unknown to understand or fight back. Except for lately, she had tried often to get 'out', Colubra was better in controlling her, but still she managed to find times when for a few seconds she was back in control.

"Colubra…" 

'My name is Sara.'

"Colubra!"

'Leave me alone!'

Colubra opened her eyes to the shiny silver metal of the tip of a sword. Her eyes grew wide as she followed the blade up to its owner, the sun was behind his head which made her squint, but she knew who it was. Her first instinct was to fight, but as she looked around, realized Allen Shezar's men surrounded her, and Dallet was being held captive by three blades to the neck. Damn that girl, Hitomi, she had told! Dallet had been the one calling her to wake up, how had they followed them? 

Van rose his sword, forcing her to stand. She looked the dragon in the eye, he meant so much to Dilandau, though she didn't know why. She spit at him, getting him in the side. Dead silence surrounded them, not even the birds seemed to utter a sound. The grey storm clouds rumbled overhead and it began to rain. A man approached the king from behind, he was limping and using a cane - something seemed familiar about him. Van wiped the rain from his face on his sleeve, never letting his eyes stray from her rigid form, still wearing the same clothes she had come in yesterday. The rain had started to pour and her hair hung in her eyes, Van's too was soaked and their clothes clung to their body as thunder boomed above again. The man stood beside the king, and a flood of dread washed over her as her eyes grew wide. His wet hair hung over his eyes but she could tell it was Gadess. Zaibach must have released him far away from here, not realizing that he might catch up with Shezar before they were done. It was like a bad dream, and her death sentence had just been read, but this was real. Van sneered when he saw her reaction, Allen Shezar was close behind him, the three men holding Dallet close by. Dallet had a black eye and a bloody mouth, mixing with the rain rushing over his face. He had probably tried to fight them off, but the attack had been quick, and now she was paying for her carelessness.

"That's her." The man mumbled, his mouth still swollen but loud enough for everyone to hear, a low murmur followed, they probably all knew what happened. Colubra's eyes darted back to Van who now had the blade pressed against her throat.

"Kill her!" A voice rang out in the downpour, and soon all the men were shouting some such comments. She had no sword by her side, of course they had taken it and disarmed Dallet as well. She looked over to the boy who seemed terrified as well, if they killed her, the only chance he had was that maybe they might let him live to send a warning to Zaibach. Sara's heart went out to the boy as she blinked back the water in her eyes.

"Wait!" She yelled, "wait!" and Allen motioned his men to be quiet. Van stared at her, she had threatened Hitomi, and she knew that she meant the world to him, and would do anything for her. "Don't kill the boy, let him go, he had nothing to do with anything!" It was Sara's voice which rang through her throat. Van grabbed her by the back of the neck and pressed the sword harder into her throat, drawing a thin line of blood which trickled down his sword still thick even though diluted by the rain.

"Is he not one of the dragonslayors? One of the men from Zaibach that made Fanelia burn to the ground?" Colubra's eyes were wide, she didn't know if they had found the guymelef, if she lied, he might have a chance, but if they already knew, they'd kill them both anyway. In her silence Van forced the edge of the blade farther into her skin, she winced at the pain.

"No! No, he was my manservant. He had no choice in coming, it's not his fault!" Van withdrew his sword from her throat, letting the blood cascade down her neck and onto her drenched clothes. She immediately raised her hand to her neck to stop the bleeding. Van nodded to Allen, who made his men release Dallet, the boy hesitated for a second, not sure what to do, but then immediately ran off, in the direction of the guymelef. No one followed him, which was an answer to prayer, maybe he could get the melef and save her. But that was a false hope, it was still over two miles to the caves entrance, there was no way he could get there and back in time in the rain. Van turned back to Colubra, she spoke. "You know, only a coward would capture a girl, with no weapons, while they were asleep. This could be means for a war." The fact that Dallet was out of harms way and she thought she'd die anyway gave her an attitude. Might as well go out with a bang, right?

Van slammed his fist into her side before she could react. Immediately she doubled over from the pain. The stitches held, but she knew the blood must be pooling inside. Van lowered his head to her ear,

"Cowardice is kidnapping little girls and not fighting like a real soldier," he whispered, then louder, standing up but still bent over her. "Cowardice is attacking a country while staying hidden." Colubra clenched her teeth as rage overcame the pain in her side. The dragon was talking about the slayers and Dilandau's attack on his country. Colubra stayed where she was, resisting the urge to stab him – wait, the dagger in her boot! She still had it! Colubra lowered her hand to hover around her knee. "Cowardice!" Van yelled, standing tall for all to hear, especially Allen's men, "is torturing a man for information he didn't know!" Gadess stepped forward.

"Wait," everyone quieted, Colubra raised her eyes to meet him, "let me." Gadess walked forward, stopping only hairs from her head, she stared forward. "So," he said, she closed her eyes - ready for his fist. "things sure have made a 180 degree turn haven't they?" Gadess raised his leg and lashed it across her face. She rolled, then curled into a small ball. _I think he broke a tooth_. She thought as he stood above her. Then delivered another swift kick into her side. She cried out in pain, feeling the blood exit her side. Colubra spat blood into the muddy ground, her hair masking her face. The rain hit so hard it splashed back up to her face so close to the mud. The Shezar crew cheered, they obviously liked Gadess, and hated the idea of him being tortured. Now she was at there disposal. The tall man came over to her again and pushed her face into the ground with his foot which seemed to excite the men even more.

'Never give up. Never surrender.'* Those words echoed in her head, Zaibach training camps, the drill sergeant had always reminded them of a dishonourable death. Colubra raised her weak body to her feet, wincing as the motion stretched her side. She had the dagger in her hand.

"I never hurt Hitomi." She sputtered, Van paid special attention to the mention of that name. He stared her hard in the eye. She was serious, but he couldn't know. He didn't stay long enough after hearing Hitomi's cry that the attackers had left to find out what had happened. He had just assumed. "From the Mystic Moon is she not?" The grumblings of the men started to quiet as Allen began to listen. "This _is_ a war." She turned her head to Gadess. "If any of you were real soldiers, you'd know not to take it so personally." With that Gadess kicked her in the back of the shins knocking her to her knees. Colubra took this opportunity to ram her dagger into his side, the young man yelled in pain, but it was too superficial of a cut. Soon she was on the ground again, her dagger having been knocked from her hand and the blood from her side opening quickly weakening her. 

'What's happening to me?' Colubra thought as she found she lost the coordination to stand, all the images in her head swimming together.

'The internal bleeding is killing me,' Sara thought, her tears mixing with the mud and water on her face. 'why can't Dallet come sooner?' She fell to the ground, a few men letting her alone including Van and Allen, who didn't consider her a threat anymore. But Gadess still hadn't had his fill so set a kick to her head which made her world pool into darkness.

***

Dilandau felt sick, he didn't know why, but there was intense pain in his side and head. He walked into the hanger, where a few of his dragonslayors were working on their guymelefs. They were so dedicated, so completely devoted to him and Zaibach, Dilandau didn't know what he would do without his slayers.

Dilandau expertly jumped up to his guymelefs cockpit. It was red, that was how his was different from all of the others. This girl, Colubra, Sara, whatever her name was, had been on his mind a lot lately. He had been jealous of all the time Folken had been with her, and now Dallet. Both of them had slept with her, no sex (supposedly, though the other slayers wouldn't let him live his little assignment with her down), but still, he wished he could be with her. Dilandau slid into the controls, them engulfing his body and conforming to his arms and legs. He walked to the edge of the hanger, below was the sprawling countryside of Austuria. Though they couldn't see the huge black and red fortress in the sky, it had the same technology that allowed their guymelefs to go invisible. Dilandau wondered if he could see her, if they were still on schedule, they would be in the forest outside the cave exit. The rain was pouring down, he didn't intend on going out. He had been the only other person other than Folken, Colubra and Dallet that knew of the plan. He increased the magnification of the telescopic lens on his viewfinder. He scanned the forest until he saw a clearing, he increased it again, there were people down there, he put the maximum magnification on and saw a small huddled shape in between a large amount of men. He glanced around, moving his head ever so slightly to look at the different faces, he didn't recognize any of them, until he came upon one. It was…it was that man! Shezar's first hand man who had been released only a day before! How had gotten into Austuria so quickly? Dilandau twitched his head to look at some of the others there, Allen Shezar! And Van Fanel right beside! Dilandau's blood burned at the face, but he had strict orders from Strategos not to leave the ship. Then he noticed the people moving, they were being told to back off. The body in the center, Dilandau almost felt sorry for it. The pain in his side had long since gone away, but when he focused in on the face, he choked. In a huddled mess of hair and blood, there lay Colubra, her clothes stained with blood and drenched with dirty water. Dilandau didn't think twice before jumping off the edge of the hanger and in flight mode descending as quickly as he could to the forest below. The rain made flying incredibly dangerous but he didn't care – all that was running through his head was Colubra's name, and his ever-growing hatred towards the dragon.

***

__

The heat, it's so hot, the heat, it burns, get it away…Sara murmured. She opened her eyes, blinking away the droplets aimed at her eyes. The rain, the mud – the fire - where was she? She looked around. Lifting her head painfully to scan her surroundings. _This is where Colubra was last, just before –_ Sara remembered the devastating blows the girl had received to her head that sent coloured lights dancing out through her eyes before she blacked out. _Am I, am I back?_ Sara tried to pull herself up from the horizontal view but pain shot up through her spine. She wiggled her toes. _Good, no spinal damage._

Déjà vu. 

Sara tried once again to hoist her upper body onto her arm, finally she was able to. The heat was so close - the fire - it burned the forest everywhere! She looked for the men or the source of the fire and saw nothing. They had left her, left her to die. Sara regretted every action that Colubra had ever committed. Where was Colubra anyway? Sara could sense her, but she wasn't in control or thinking. _Unconscious._
    
    Suddenly a large form engulfed her sight, if she could breathe deep enough to scream she would have, but she soon recognized the large guymelef, its red figure blocking her sight. The rain still poured down her face she smiled, _Dilandau._ The love and admiration Colubra had for the boy fell onto her as he jumped out of the cockpit of the huge machine. He ran to her side, kneeling down beside her and grabbed her around the shoulders. She collapsed in his arm, fatigue overcoming her.
    "Colubra, Colubra, talk to me!" He brought his face close to hers, the rain soaking his silver locks. She smiled, her bloody lips still beautiful.
    "Hey Dil." She mumbled. Then before she passed out, _My name is Sara. _
    ***
    Dilandau hoisted the girl in his arms and over the slippery metal casing of the guymelef managed to carry her into the cockpit. There it was dry but incredibly cramped. He draped her body around him, her legs around his waste and her arms around his shoulders, he tried to ignore the obvious fact that her body was cooler than it should be yet her side leaked hot blood. He had to get her to the fortress, they would know what to do.
    As he took off from the burning landscape he had causing below he leant his head on hers. She still smelt of that perfume she used, her scent mixed in with smoke enticed him, despite the blood in her hair and mud still wet on her face. He closed his eyes and prayed a silent prayer for the girl he had only grown to know a few days before, and yet love.
    ***
    Sara kept her eyes closed, if she had wanted to, maybe she could have talked to him, she did have control of her body, more than most people did. She knew it was unconscious and yet she could wake up if she put her mind to it. _Mind over body._ She smiled as she felt Dilandau's warm body against hers. But she was also painfully aware of the pain in her side that had caused her to slowly feel the life being drained from her.

I hope you like this. I worked pretty hard thinking up of this stuff. It's weird, now I wanna drown someone (I know I know, seek help) I have a cool idea for that actually in the upcoming chapter. That is if I get any reviews! You guys gotta review my stuff, no more hit counter, so I don't know if anyone reads these unless I get reviews!!

*where's that from? Sounds like star trek or something…I dunno


	14. Hurting

AN: * shameless self-promotion, I know* read my wisdom, slightly dark story, that I have only gotten positive reviews for. **Hear the Music Play** by BelleFemme (me) 

Thanks to all you who review! I didn't realize so many new people were reading my stories, I'm so touched, thank you for all your kind reviews! You guys make my day!

**__**

Vous ete la meillure.

[I learned that in French class today ^-^ it means: _you're the best_]

Wish

Chapter thirteen: 

Dilandau sat, slouched in his throne. A bottle of wine on the table beside, he stared blankly at it, listening to the rants of Strategoes. Wondering vaguely when he'd be done.

"Do you know how angry Emperor Dornkirk is? I can't believe you would set that whole area on fire. You should thank the god's that no one was hurt or that'd be means for war! We are awaiting Dorkirks decision on when to attack." Folken stopped his pacing. He had never been so angry with Dilandau, but he couldn't do a thing about it. He noticed the boy idly stroking the scar on his face, ignoring him. Folken decided to get his attention. "If it were up to me, I'd get rid of that girl. She's bungled up an important mission, almost got one of our elite slayers killed and is too much hassle. She's tying up all our best doctors." Folken didn't mean it, but hoped he'd at least he'd get a response. Dilandau stopped stroking his scar.

"How is she doing?" Folken lowered his eyes, and eased his tense muscles. The boy cared for her, and her image flashed through his head, she reminded him of his brother. Until lately. She had been absolutely brutal to the man from Austuria, and her gentle soul that he had seen shine through even during her fights had slowly disappeared. Her constant visits to the sorcerers and their adamant interest in her made him suspect that they had something to do with it.

"She's still unconscious." Dilandau lifted a dagger and began to stroke the side of the bottle of wine – leaving little white lines scratched into the glass. It seemed like an eternity that he just sat there, his mouth half open in a devious smile, stroking the glass. Suddenly he threw the dagger into the glass, piercing it and sending the bottle crashing to the floor.

"I hate waiting!" He yelled, getting louder. Folken knew that the wine had something to do with his drunken attitude. 

***

'Can't you control yourself from killing?' I remembered myself asking meekly.

'No more than you can control me.' 

The words echoed in Sara's head. If she couldn't control Colubra, then how long would it be until she killed someone? Being a witness to Colubra's brutality had already scarred her enough, it just made Sara fear her and what she could do even more.

She head footsteps and the painfully loud sound as a chair was pulled up to the side of her bed. Like everyday for the past week, Folken had visited her. Sometimes talking, sometimes just staying there quietly. She had enjoyed his silent visits, they seemed to keep what sane part she still had in her. Sara had a growing liking for Folken, his deep voice, his attraction to her had been obvious since she got there. But his recent displays of affection had been subtle and made her like his sincerity.

"Colubra?" She hated that, Colubra was still unconscious, dead as far as she would care. If she could only tell him, tell him that it was her, the girl in the room when he first saw her. Not the girl on the battlefield.

Sara managed to move her lips.

Folken sat up, staring at her parted mouth, had he just seen what he thought he had seen? They moved again. He got up and leaned over her, keeping his ear close to her mouth.

"My name…is Sara." He heard. So faint, so light, yet there. He turned his head down towards her, their lips ever close and staring him in the eye. Her eyes were just open a slit, it took every bit of will in her to control her body, but Sara had that strong will, she had inherited it from her brother - the rebel, an aspect which she had also gotten from him – a constant distress to her family. When she controlled her body, she felt it's pain, and knew that the throbbing pain throughout her weak body would shorten her control. Folken noticed her eyes, still glazed over, but a brilliant blue. She lowered her eyes to his parted lips, he noticed and bent his head down, brushing his lips against hers. This time she didn't resist, and not because she was weak, but with all her might she returned the gesture. Gaining strength from him. The unspoken words from the past days they had spent together were now expressed, he cared for her, and her him. 

He let up, smiling. 

"Hello Sara."

***

Sara's brief surge of strength and consciousness had been short, but soon well known around the Vione and documented for the sorcerers. Of course with any explicit details left out. The dragonslayers had created their own rumors about her, they had all heard of heroics, emphasized by Dallet. They all were concerned for her, especially Chesta. He and Dallet were teased the most about her, and their jealousy about the restricted access to her bedside. Only Folken had access, and though it was for supposed check-ups, a passing dragonslayer, Gatti, had spread the rumor that he had kissed her when she was awake. No one dared confront the man, but everyone thought they had fallen in love in that short period of time because she was the first man she saw. There were other variations of the rumor, as there always were, but an inside source had said she had kissed him back; though none of the boys would believe it. Unfortunately, even Dilandau had heard of the rumors. 

"But then why does she like him?" Dilandau asked his men at the lunch table, expressing his concern over Colubra and Folken's relationship.

"I have no idea. Maybe it's the hair." Chesta said, more relaxed now that Dilandau had a few drinks in him. "Apparently he made a move on her the first day she came." Guimel said between hiccups. No one took him seriously, he got drunk so easily. Dilandau's eyes grew at the remark and Chesta noticed his look of horror. Guimel smiled giddily at his commander's belief in something he said. "It's true!"

"Hey, he found her didn't he? According to our laws, she owes him her life, she's in his debt. He had every right to do whatever he wanted to her." Dilandau clenched his jaw.

"I talked to Carsio though man, she was fine when she came except for a few bumps and bruises." Gatti added in. Dilandau shook his head. _He didn't save her life…He didn't find her…I did_

Dilandau got up and walked out.

"Huh…I wonder what's eating him?" Chesta said, downing another shot glass of the weak gin. Gatti just shrugged as Guimel passed out beside him. 

***

Sara felt Folken's hand over hers. He had visited her twice already that day. Sometimes he fell asleep in the chair beside her. She looked forward to his visits, but today was different.

"Sara?" He paused, not expecting a response. She hadn't been awake since that first time they kissed. Or second, depending on how you looked at it. "I know you can hear me," he continued. "the sorcerers have commanded me that I can no longer see you because I'm getting 'too attached'." Folken gritted his teeth. He had had trouble believing the words coming out of their mouths the first time he heard it, and now he had to relay it to her, that gentle soul he had felt so strongly in the past weeks. And she couldn't even defend herself or beg him to stay. "I'm sorry." Sara was screaming in her head, she tried so hard to move but she couldn't, the silence was killing her, like he was giving her her last chance at speaking to him and she couldn't. Finally her lips began to move. He had almost given up, had she not heard him? Did she not care? He leaned in close to hear what she had to say.

"Folken." She was trying so hard, her brow wrinkled in concentration and slightly moist. She had to tell him. Sara had to tell him. "Save me from her." Folken stood back from her face to see if he could understand. He looked at her lips, now silent, had he not heard correctly? He had expected something to the effect of 'don't go'. Then understanding hit him like a ton of bricks. 

The sorcerers.

Folken bent back down and kissed her lightly on the forehead. A bittersweet good bye.

"I will."

***

Dilandau walked into the medical ward. The lights were bright, contradicting the pitch black of outside. He had hoped the lights would have been out, seeing that it was midnight, but they weren't. He hadn't known what had brought him to go to her. But he desperately wanted to see her again. The rumors about her relationship with Folken were eating him up inside, even though he had apparently stopped seeing her. Now the slayers only talked about Dallet's 'sleepover' and other such stupidity. Dilandau focused his attention on finding her room as he walked the bare halls. Finally he found it, her sleeping form inside.

Dilandau opened the door silently, stealth not one of his strong points but still better than average due to the training he had in Zaibach. He walked over to her bedside, looking down at her pale form. She turned her head and surprised him by opening her eyes. Dilandau smiled to see her awake.

"I couldn't sleep." He said, giving an excuse for his actions, nervous that she would be awake.

Colubra smiled, her wounds were healing, and she hadn't heard of much activity in the past two weeks. Sara had been in control, but unfortunately Colubra had been the one feeling the physical pain and now Sara was feeling emotional pain. When she finally regained consciousness, one shared with the other hurting girl, the first thing she thought of was Dilandau. And now he was here.

"I thought you'd come." She said quietly, remembering the wish she had made only an hour before.
    
    ***

Dilandau sat outside the closed room. Every few hours an orderly would come in, never giving him enough time to get the chance to ask how she was. She was unconscious, but he wasn't allowed to see her. He had never taken orders from anyone other than Dornkirk himself and now was getting impatient with the doctors ordering him around. It was nearing midnight, three days since her release, and one of dragonslayors came up to him.

"Lord Dilandau?" It was Chesta. The silver haired boy turned his head to meet him. Chesta was nervous he could tell, but there a look of concern was etched on his face. "H-how is she?" Dilandau lowered his eyes to the floor, he didn't want to tell the boy he didn't know. After an uncomfortable silence, Chesta finally mustered up the strength to talk again. "You - Sir, you…seem to need some sleep." Dilandau shot his head upwards to meet the boys eyes with a fiery look. "I – I just mean – sir – that maybe you should get some sleep. Lord Folken said you haven't slept in days." Chesta stood at attention, daring not to make it seem too personal, though it clearly was. Dilandau stood, and faced the boy, Chesta braced himself for the hit, but it never came.

"Folken is right. I think I will go retire now." And walked past the boy. Chesta's surprise was more than a hit to the face, _Lord Dilandau really _does_ need some sleep._ He thought.

***

"You called me, Strategoes?" Dilandau asked, formalities ignored as they were alone and Dilandau always _had_ had a problem with authority. Folken rose.

"About Sara." Dilandau nodded. Sara – Colubra, did she ever stay with the same name? He thought irritated. The name also reminded him of their late night conversations, he always knew when to come and she always said she had expected him. But then she had called herself Colubra.

"She's getting better, but we're not sure if she will be well enough when Dornkirk decides to attack Austuria. She may be regaining stable consciousness, but she won't be able to stand for another week at least. And I don't know how long it will take her lung to be strong enough for her to run, much less fight." Dilandau remembered the hurting words Folken had uttered only a short while ago, he had said if it were up to him he'd get rid of her. Did he really feel that way?

"What do you suggest?" Dilandau said menacingly, avoiding his glance, daring him to say what he thought he would say.

"I don't want any harm to come to her." Dilandau looked up at the older man to see if he was serious. "The sorcerers have decided to take her in again." Dilandau didn't flinch, but dug his fingernails into his palms. "I think they might be able to help her."

Dilandau reasoned. Something he never usually did. "If it was for her best…" Folken nodded, Dilandau really did care for her. Suddenly Chesta burst into the room.

"Lord Dilandau sir! A message from Emperor Dornkirk!" He stated abruptly. 

"Read it." Dilandau complied. Chesta read the parchment. Lord Dornkirk had decided to attack Fried using the harbor at Palas, Austuria's capital. 

"P.S." Chesta read, "Don't do anything rash." Dilandau just laughed it off and left.

Ok…lotsa big nice stuff coming up. Oh by the way, fellow esca fan's, does anyone know when the dragonslayers all die? [im so sensitive, eh?] well anyway, if yall read all that, then..**R E V I E W **it.

Please oh please! I'm writing for you guys, (and myself, but mostly you guys). 


	15. Sand

A/N: sorry for taking so long

A/N: sorry for taking so long. I just had some lack of initiative…a.k.a. no reviews. I wonder if anyone _else_ is reading this. Oh well, I'll keep writing it for the four people who read it if they really want me to. But keep on reviewing or no more!!!

Wish

Chapter fourteen: Sand

Dornkirk calls a meeting with Dilandau and Folken.

"Tell me why she should stay." The huge pixilated face boomed in the round hall. Folken and Dilandau had been debating with each other all day. It had been three weeks since she had gotten hurt, and from her current injuries, unless the sorcerers performed a miracle, it would take another four to heal her enough to fight. The attack on Palas was to happen the next day, and keeping her too long had been deemed a waste of resources. Oddly, the sorcerers had thought she was a 'necessary element' for some reason, and that she should stay.

Now they had to tell Dornkirk their conclusion.

"Sir, one of the main setbacks as to having her as a soldier is that she is not trained guymelef flight, our main source of offense. She will take up to four weeks to heal, and she failed her last mission." Dornkirk nodded, taking this all into account.

Dilandau shifted uneasily beside him, how could he be so against her if he supposedly was in love with her?

"She has tremendous fighting skills and she is recovering quickly. If Zaibach hadn't been so careless with its prisoners…" Dornkirk interrupted him, asking him to explain the last statement.

"Who gave the order to release the hostage." After a short pause, Folken admitted.

"I did sir." The tension was building. "Sir, I had no idea the repercussions." He defended himself.

"Understood. Give her the four weeks. She may be useful to us near the end." Dilandau was puzzled at this last remark but Folken nodded and dismissed them.

***

Dilandau and Folken were walking down the hall, it had only been twenty four hours since Colubra/Sara had been released from the sorcerers. The results of the emergency 'medical assistance' they had agreed to had stayed classified and they had both agreed to see her together. While they were passing by the training arena, Dilandau noticed the large crowd of slayers and fighters alike huddled around an area of the large room. He turned to Folken and he nodded in agreement, they wondered what the commotion was about and they were going to find out. Folken stayed near the back, but soon the two superiors' presence was noticed. The crowd stopped its whispering and stood back, clearing a path for Dilandau to pass. The young boy looked through to a figure at the far wall, savagely attacking a leather punching bag. He recognized the long brown hair immediately. "Colubra…" he whispered. 

"Chesta." He said to the boy on his right. "What's going on?" He remembered the prognosis for four more weeks of recovery. Had the sorcerers really performed such a miracle? He studied her athletic figure, never letting his eyes wonder from her body.

"Sir, she was found here about half an hour ago and hasn't stopped beating that bad since. We don't know when she started, but when we came in it was around four hits per second and has slowed to two. I've never seen anyone go for so long and so fast before." Then when Chesta felt a little more comfortable, "You should see her sweat!" Dilandau shot a disapproving glance to the boy and he fell silent. Dilandau then advanced toward her. 

Her arms were punching, blocking, and attacking the bag furiously. Occasionally she'd knee it or do a round house kick to stop it from swaying. Her shirt was drenched near the neck from sweat and her hair stuck to her forehead and face. She panted heavily as she continued to attack the sand filled leather bag. Her wrists had begun to hurt and she knew her lower arms and hands would be bruised a dark purple once she finished. But her urge to fight, to attack - her adrenaline had to be sufficed somehow. She executed every fighting combination she knew over and over again, getting a rush from the pain in her knuckles and wrists. Her whole body had started to ache as her tense muscles repeatedly slammed the bag. What worried Sara was the thought that ran through Colubra's head of Van Fanel every time her fist connected with the tough leather.

Dilandau approached her confidently yet cautiously from behind. Getting this close to her in this state was like getting between a mother bear and her cubs. This excited him, making his blood run hot for the girl who now radiated power that she had seemed to had lost over the past weeks in bed. He stopped a few feet behind her, the sound of the pounding the only thing heard in the small arena.

"Colubra." He said. She stopped, her arm raised to strike. She relaxed, letting her arms drop to her side. She took a deep breath to compose herself before she turned. Even in this condition, he thought, she is still beautiful. Her flushed face and dark hair damp, her pink, parted lips…she cocked her head at his dazed look.

"What?" She asked annoyed. Breathing deeply to catch her breath. Dilandau shook his head to compose himself, getting a critical eye from the girl.

"You should be resting?" He said lamely. Then added. "Will you be able to fight?" Motioning to her side. She smiled.

"What do you think?" She asked, twisting her neck to the side to crack it. "I'm all healed." She lifted the corner of her shirt to show her flawless stomach, only a faint white scar to show. Dilandau diverted his eyes a little late, but Folken noticed that some of the younger men stared blatantly at her stomach, more toned than many of them there. She lowered her shirt when she noticed his look of embarrassment. "Fine. Now if you'll excuse me?" Dilandau nodded and she turned back to the mutilated bag. Dilandau joining Folken at the door then leaving to go their separate ways.

Colubra sent the fatigue of fighting to Sara, feeling refreshed and energetic. The sorcerers had made this possible when they had done surgery to her stomach, and of course, Sara hated it. She suffered the pain, while Colubra felt nothing, just controlling the body. Sara knew that this was the only reason why the sorcerers fought to keep her on Zaibach's side. She was the ultimate fighting machine. She could be stabbed with a sword and still fight with all her energy until eventually she bled to death. No wonder that in the oath of a Zaibach soldier it stated,

To fight alongside our comrades,

Forever with all our might,

We will die for Zaibach on the battlefield,

Not wasting an ounce of our life,

Colubra would die for Zaibach, and bring Sara with her.

Colubra struck the bag with all her might, no feeling of pain or fatigue whatsoever, but a slow ripping sound stopped her. The stitches of the bag shot out, sending the sand to spill out and pile at her feet. She laughed. "Even the bag fears me." Then cackled away back to her room as a few of the dragonslayers left looked on with concern.

* * *

That night she was visited by Dilandau again. She had called him, at least she had _wanted_ him to come, and of course, he showed up. The breaking of the sand bag had somehow been relayed to Dilandau and he showed up with a bizarre present.

"I'm glad you came." She said, her knees tucked up to her chin and her arms around her legs. Dilandau sat at the edge of her bed, smiling at the compliment. The dim light in the room was comforting to Colubra, she would have preferred the dark, but it was deemed too presumptuous by Sara to have a boy in your room in the dark. Plus Colubra figured Dilandau might feel uncomfortable.

Dilandau pulled a brown package from behind his back. It was tied with twine and obviously wrapped by a man. Colubra smiled. "Is this for me?" He nodded, anxious and nervous, but she flashed him a devious smile, which seemed to calm him. She untied the knot with feminine perfection and unwrapped the present carefully, since it was heavy and seemed delicate. She was right. A beautiful hourglass shone in her hands, the glass flawless and perfectly rounded. The sand was a light beige colour and she subconsciously turned it in her hands to watch it flow. The carving that contained the glass was what interested her the most, it was dark pewter, which was, along with the glass and sand, what made it so heavy. It seemed like four dragons, two on each side, encompassed the figure eight of glass, immaculately detailed and even their scales were pointed and sharp. The two dragons on top were intertwined and the three-dimensional bodies where carved with much attention to reality. These dragons didn't look like the storybook dragons of Earth, the only conclusion Colubra and Sara could come to was that these were what dragons looked like on Gaea. 

Entranced in it's detail and the sand running through - counting the minutes away meticulously, Colubra didn't notice Dilandau move closer to her, so that he watched her face from only a short distance away, sitting beside her. He noticed her eyes dart from the black dragons to the off-white sand and back again, here mouth parted in that curious look she often wore. Finally she remembered his presence and turned surprised to see him so close and stopped mid sentence.

"It's beautiful, no one's ever done something like this for me – " He was still watching her. 

"Hopefully now you won't have to destroy our equipment to have your fill of sand." She smiled at his attempt at humour. Colubra loved Dilandau, Sara loved Folken. Was it love? Or was it lust? Very aware that their faces were getting closer. Colubra smiled, blocking out Sara's mind as she lifted her hand to his face and drew herself towards him, placing her lips gently but forcefully on his. Dilandau could barely hold back a smile as he closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her, returning the kiss. 

They made out, first and second base covered. Running to third when none other than good ol' Chesta knocks on the door. **{if _you_ would like to insert a little description here better than mine, feel free, since I am completely and totally without experience in the field, I wouldn't do it justice}**

Dilandau drew back first. "We can't let him catch us." She smiled knowingly and pushed him off the bed, carefully placing the hourglass on her bedside table before going to the door. Dilandau hid in her bathroom.

"What? What is it?" She asked smoothing her hair and clothes when she opened her door and saw the exasperated teen.

"We just got the orders, attacking Palas tonight!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TA DA! Short, but sweet. Anyhoo, I dunno what to do next. Definitely a fight in Palas. But what else? Help me out here, I'm open for suggestions.

So **_review_** and email them to me. Plus compliments in the review would be nice too, but flames are welcome ^-^…lot's of love! Moi.

p.s. **AND FEEL FREE TO SEND ME YOUR _MAKE OUT_ IDEAS** (kinda like fanfiction for my fanfiction)


	16. 

A/N: I had originally wanted this to correspond with the series – that didn't work out

A/N: I had originally wanted this to correspond with the series – that didn't work out. So now lotsa battles are combined into one and called the take over of Palas. Hey, don't sue me, I just didn't want that many, and I am almighty author. So there. I also don't have the kitty cat people and a few other things get all different and stuff, but you can deal. I'm sure. My ending may be as few as three chapters away.

Forgive spelling errors. I had to type this quick.

Wish

Chapter fifteen: Palas

It was all in a frenzy, as chaotic as an organized battle could get. Dilandau shouted at his men to keep inline and hurry up. The guymelefs were prepped and ready to go as the young soldiers scurried about. Finally the order was given to leave and one after another the large machines dropped from the Vione. Like hornets leaving their hive the giant machines headed for the dormant city.

Sara watched from afar in the corner of her mind. Colubra would be sent for something else to Dilandau's distaste, and would stay for the duration of the battle in the Vione with Folken. She had wished the men good luck, and Colubra's desire to fight needed Sara's help to be subdued. Actually, the only reason Colubra didn't run up and jump on Dilandau's guymelef at the last second was because Folken had asked to talk to her and his soothing voice made Sara want to break through to him. This kept Colubra distracted until the men left.

"Sara?" Colubra snapped her head up from the trance at the sound of Folken's voice. Her superior, she had undying respect and devotion for the man, while Sara's infatuation with him made her sick.

"Sir." She replied at attention.

"We are to wait for any news from Dornkirk. He said to keep you on call for any 'other' necessary jobs." Colubra raised an eyebrow. She pictured herself peeling potatoes. Folken motioned her to follow him. She nodded and complied. "Other jobs mainly entitle complications, he addressed her unspoken question. "He said he'd let you know." They kept walking down the long halls of the Vione. Folken seemed distracted about something, but whenever he opened his mouth he'd top himself.

"Sir?"

"Nothing. I have to go." Colubra eyed him as he left.

"Whatever." She said under her breath. Now she was alone. This hadn't happened in awhile, Colubra was alone. Most likely she wasn't supposed to be left long and Folken's leaving was unplanned, but now she was by herself. Alone on the Vione, no Dilandau, no dragonslayers to play with, and God knows where Folken had gone. 

'So now what?' Sara asked, interested by Colubra's boredom and obvious distraction of controlling her.

"I'm itching to do something." Colubra conversed, the first time in many weeks with the other girl. "When Dilandau comes back, I want to plan something for him." Colubra though, Sara's feminine side affecting her. Luckily she snapped out of it. "I'm not one to be satisfied with waiting for my man to come home. I want to go." And with that Colubra left the empty hall and their conversation.

***

The wind blew coldly over her body at the high altitude; the ground looked a million miles away, how to get down was the question. "I wish there was some way I could get down there without using a melef." She mumbled. Daggers attached to her back and her 'trusty' knife in her boot, she stood at the edge of the ship looking down. She turned back and looked around the hangar to find something even if she didn't know what. She finally found a store room, inside were dozens of brown bags, satchels…

"What the – " then it hit her. "Parachutes! Score."

'Now this can't be _that_ hard…'Colubra thought, ignoring Sara's desperate prayers to God to save her.

You'd think that it would be easy, falling through the air, and it was, but landing was a different story.

'Oh God Oh God Oh God Oh God Oh God Oh God Oh God Oh God.' Sara was screaming as the ground kept rushing up at her faster and faster. Finally they hit, the parachute seemed to do nothing as they rolled and rolled down the bumpy hard ground. They tumbled over and over; the ground and sky melting together as the sun seemed to collide with the ground. Every cuss word Colubra knew flew out of her mouth as the ricocheted off rocks and other obstacles that didn't seem to stop her body. Finally, they stopped.

Sara wiggled her toes. "I can't believe I'm not dead." She muttered. 

'Shut up.' Colubra thought.

They were switched! But before Sara could compose herself, Colubra took over and shifted any pain from the fall onto Sara, quickly reminding her who was in control.

Colubra shook her head, and rolled over onto her side, propping her body up on one elbow to survey her yellow surroundings. She detached herself from the large silk parachute and squinted to avoid the bright reflection of the sun off the thin, dense plants.

"Wheat." She muttered to herself as she noticed how far she was from civilization.

'See, if you had read the instructions, you would've known how to steer' Colubra tuning Sara's whining out. She stood, stumbled, but recovered from the dizziness to look over the horizon. I wasn't hard to spot the place where the guymelefs had planned to hide. It was the nearest forest and had an unguarded side of Palas open. Plus, near behind it was a thick dome of dust that had most likely risen from the fight. Sara noticed the large round circles the guymelefs had left when they landed. 'Crop circles!'

"Shut up!" Colubra yelled at her in frustration for not being totally able to control her. Almost as if on cue, the air shimmered before them and a curma claw was revealed in mid air above them. Her face broke into a wide smile – it was the Oreides. A thin silver ribbon came down to meet her and wrapped around her waist before she could react. The invisible creature lifted her and carried her behind it back into the forest underneath the invisible cloak. Finally in the dark, cool forest, Dilandau took his stealth cloak off, and the other men followed. They were obviously alone, though even for an eighteen-year-old, being surrounded by these giants of machines was quite intimidating.

Dilandau set her down and got out of his melef after her. "I guess I shouldn't even ask – but what are you doing here?" he said with a half-angry, half-glad look on his face. 

"I was bored." Colubra replied, like it was obvious. "Shall we go fight now?" She said eagerly. She heard a few of the men chuckle.

"Soon." Dilandau replied as if talking to a child. With that she spun on her heel and started to walk away. Dilandau looked troubled. "Where are you going?"

"I hate waiting." And she continued through the forest before they could catch her – making a beeline to the city.

***

Colubra stood at the edge of the forest, beneath her lay the city of Palas, it was a beautiful, flourishing city and quite so early in the morning. Sara enjoyed the scenery, but Colubra found it uninteresting and dull, so turned and headed toward the battlegrounds.

***

She could see them, they had retreated, but they were still in the front lines – waiting. Colubra recognized the knight's guymelef, it was unmanned. They were treating the wounded and carrying away the dead, while Zaibach's dragonslayers weren't even winded. 'Fools.' She thought. Then she saw him.

"Allen Shezar." She mouthed, the man who had humiliated her and kept her in bed for weeks. 'Coward.' 

She stood. It wouldn't be long until the lookouts would see her. It was sooner than she thought as she leaned back at the sound of an arrow shooting towards her, missing her by a foot and hitting the trunk of a nearby tree. Colubra jumped down the hill, sliding down the dry dirt and creating clouds of dust surrounding her, making the now obvious shower of arrows stop. She came to a halt, the dust soon clearing and revealing that Allen and his men had their swords drawn and the injured away behind them. They spat when they saw who she was.

"Girl – I don't want to fight you like this, if you want to surrender – " Colubra interrupted the arrogant knight.

"Ha. Ten to one odds?" Colubra laughed. "I should think you are the ones outnumbered." The men laughed, thinking she was ill in the head or at least couldn't count.

"Are you ready to me now – a real man to…woman fight?" One of them yelled at her. She cocked her head to find the source and smiled when she saw one standing apart from the small mob – Gadess. "You don't even have a sword." With that Colubra crossed her arms behind her head and withdrew her two daggers.

"In the midst o battle, it's good to relax and fight a bit, neh?" Gadess smiled.

"So you _are_ a part of this battle" Allen accused.

"Not yet, little man." Colubra chided. "Come now, we've each got a weapon, do you agree it is fair game?" Gadess came toward her, stopping halfway between his men and her. She did the same, stopping a shot distance away and crouched into a fighting stance with a grin on her face.

"You're crazy girl, you know that. You have no boyfriend with fire to save you now." He spat.

"We'll see who's going to die today."

With that Gadess lunged at her, her daggers stopping his blade above her head, he was strong, thirty something, and fighting with revenge once again in mind. She had to match his strength with speed. She spun around behind him - he lifted his sword. He aimed to strike again, but she entangled his sword in her daggers and tried to thrust it out of his hands unsuccessfully, so instead turned her back to him and jammed her elbow into his ribs. With him doubled over she retracted her daggers, holding them so that they were like an extension of her arms and drew her hand across his face, leaving a swelling bruise, but unlike the last time they fought, now he wasn't fatigued or already suffering. As she raised her leg to kick him, he grabbed her foot and spun her to the ground, getting on top of her and pinning her arms beneath her. This time Sara gave her a move. From a break dancing move she had learned from a friend, she threw her head back, hitting his and stunning him. Then in one fluid movement jumped up and kicked him in the stomach. Though she couldn't tell if her aim was a little low since he was already on the ground. She kicked his sword out of his hand and sent it spinning away out of reach. The sun burned down on them as she realized she was sweating and quite hot, and Gadess was out of breath. Colubra was just getting started. She came up to the hunched man and raised her arms and with them the daggers for the fatal strike – but he rose, like light he forced his arms up and stopped her hands above her head, and he _was_ stronger than her. She kicked him, both feet, this time aiming for his manhood. She hit the target. He let go. 

She wiped the sweat from her brow as she noticed Allen approaching, hand hovering over the sword and his belt. She quickly knelt behind the man and drew his head back by the hair. She raised her hand to his neck, the dagger visible and pressing against his throat. She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.

"Nice knowin' ya pal." She said then pressed the edge of the dagger into his throat and ripped it outwards. Allen screamed something unintelligible as he drew his sword. Colubra noticed her fun had to end now and dropped the body she held to retreat. Running as fast as she could up the steep hill. 

"You coward! Don't run away from me!" She heard the knight yell. She stopped and turned, the archers were aimed at her, but awaiting Allen's call. Suddenly, Allen and his men stopped, their faces paled and she noticed one of the archers turn and run. Then the shadow came over her and she turned to see a familiar sight. A grin broke across her face as the image gave her strength. Colubra turned back to Allen.

"Who's the coward now?! Allen, of the heavenly knights?" She yelled. "Next time we meet, one of us will die." Allen spits at her and retreats to his guymelef. Then something else catches her eye.

In the sky there is a shadow, she squinted up at the sun to see it, bigger than a bird, then she heard Dilandau yell. It was Escaflowne! Excitement and dread welled up in her as she watched the beast circle above and then finally descend, behind the Austurian lines. Colubra looked back and saw all the dragonslayers, each one of their guymelefs in a v formation behind Dilandau.

"Colubra!" Dilandau yelled and she looked up to see Dilandau's concerned face from the cockpit. "Take cover, you can do nothing in this battle." Colubra nodded in agreement and respect and ran back into forest.

She ran up a hill, refusing to turn at the sound of clashing metal and screams until she got to the top when she could see. Finally she got there, and stood, anxious, watching the battle from afar, but still vivid and close. She could recognize every guymelef. The fire surrounding the battlefield and blackening the ground, she hadn't noticed the sun duck behind the clouds, actually, it had gotten very dark, no part of the sky could be seen and it looked very bleak.

The battle wasn't going as it should have.

The dragon was good. It was too good, my men. The battle went on. Colubra went numb.

Dallet. She heard his cries as the demon took his life.

Migel. She watched as she could do nothing as his guymelef was destroyed.

"Why must this happen?"

Chesta. Dear Chesta, his failed attempt at blocking the blow was fatal.

Gatti. The funny one, why did he have to die too?

"Why, God, why?" 

Guimel. Viole. Men I didn't even know.

Colubra fell to her knees as she saw the viscous battle below. Tears she didn't even feel streaming down her cheeks. The last two, again and again. Attacking. Blocking. Fighting.

"Kill him. Dilandau. My love. Kill him. Kill the one who did this." She mouthed as the two guymelefs were now testing their pilots strength. Then the world slowed.

"Oh God. Take me with them. Take me with the dragonslayers to hell. Not here. Anywhere but here." She sobbed, and her body was lifted, floating in the air before being whisked off in a blinding light as her wish was granted.

Well, next chapter up hopefully sooner than this one. Review dawlins, and keep me satisfied! Blah!


	17. Wishes

A/N: I just did my theory exam

A/N: I just did my grade two theory exam.

DIE PIANO! 

Ok,I'm done.

Wish

Chapter sixteen: Wishes

The compound effects between the deaths and travel left her in shock.

She wrapped her arms around her legs and crouched into a small ball; eyes wide and unblinking in a trance. She didn't notice him approach. 

"Child." The voice was so calming, so peaceful, so familiar. Her eyesight was blurry, but she focused on the approaching from. "Child." It said again. Then she saw his face.

"What are you?" she asked, bewildered by the foreign face, yet it stirred within her memory. "Are…you an angel?"

"No." He had the resemblance of a terrier, a dog. 'Strange world.' Sara though. "Do you know who you are, girl?" She thought for a moment, distinguishing the difference between herself and the other. 

"I am Colubra." She looked into his face, silently asking if he understood, like he could explain why everything had happened because he now knew her name.

"My name is Jajuka."

Realization came in slow waves, her eyelids fluttered as the memories came back.

This was who she was raise by. Who taught her. But more than that…

Sara didn't want to be in control. Her sadness was equal with her own.

She didn't care who was in control. She just wanted answers. For the first time, she was vulnerable.

"They all left me." She stated.

"Who?" he asked - crouching in front of her. The light behind him cast a golden hue to his fur, he seemed aged, and he was canine. Yet so comforting. What was so familiar about him?

"Who?" she repeated - having to remind herself. "They did, my friends, comrades, they were the dragonslayers." She lowered her eyes, needing to focus on the ground to clear her eyes. Another wave hit her.

"Dilandau. Is he alive?" Colubra's love seemed to shine in her eyes as she looked up at him for answers, his face unchanging, yet eyes so warm with love.

"Yes." She nodded, this was good. Some sort of smile returning to her face which she buried in her knees. The silence continued for what seemed like hours, but Jajuka never moved. Knowing she would speak again.

"Where am I?" Some sort of order returned to her thinking.

"Zaibach." She nodded, not even surprised. "Dilandau, is he here?" She asked, in a trance.

"Yes." She rose her head. "Take me to him." Jajuka rose, and turned, with difficulty she stood and followed him.

***

Her clothes hung loosely on her, she felt weak. How long had she been unconscious in that room? As they walked through the illuminated halls, she stopped him when the next thought came to her mind.

"Do you know me?" Jajuka didn't look at her, keeping his face out of her sight.

"She, you, are my sister." Sara shimmered through and took control. Colubra began to cry.

"She loves you." Sara said, she never thought before she said it, it just came. Jajuka clenched his jaw.

"I'm sure, one day, you two will be separated." Sara wanted to ask more, but they continued to walk.

***

"What's wrong with him?" She asked, Colubra had wanted to see him, so took control. The dark room only illuminated by the light from the hall. She watched his chest as he breathed, almost too slowly to notice.

"He's unconscious. Colubra, there's something that needs to be explained to you, to both of you." She turned to him and he closed the door.

"You knew it was me?" Jajuka smiled.

"Your face may be different, but I know my own sister." He lead her into another room.

"What is it about?" The room was stark white, bland, two chairs, one window, and a light. The room seemed depressing, claustrophobic. It fitted what would be said next.

"It's about Dilandau, but it has a lot to do with you and Sara." Colubra quieted, ears acute; he knew who Sara was, he could explain.

"Have you ever heard of Allen Shezar?"

***

'So Dilandau could relate to her better than anyone, and he didn't even know it.' Colubra began to cry, at least he was alive. But why did those bastards, those bastard sorcerers, try to fix their fate? Why her? Jajuka had said because she was considered one of the best warriors they had, but since she hated guymelefs, swords, and was _female_ she was considered dispensable. Jajuka was told she was dead. Now she and him were Dilandau's only men. And soon there was to be a war. Colubra cursed at Gaea.

***

I guess I should've noticed something different about me, I had always gotten those things in life that I had wanted with all my heart. But didn't everyone? Apparently Gaea amplified my powers, come to think of it, I was stupid not to notice before.

That day at my house, I had wished to come to another world. How could something like that come true so literally. True, my heart had wished it, but would the stars really grant such a feeble wish?

My backpack, I had wished it to come for some extra clothes; it had appeared on my dresser. God, how could've I been so stupid? How could've I been so careless?

The attack on Carsio, I had wished nothing would go wrong. There must have been over twenty guards and nurses that never even noticed me. 

I had control over Colubra when I wished her to stop. The power was mine. Not hers. 

When I had wished to leave the castle in Austuria, Colubra had agreed, 'But not without a fight.' How soon had it been until she was fighting?

But then, Colubra had also made wishes, less drastic, but still…every night Dilandau had visited her, but only when she 'wished' him to. A tear slid down Sara's face.

The parachute's were an answer to the wish to get down without a melef.

But what of when she wished the men good luck?

"Why the hell did it not work then?" She said. She stood.

"WHY THE HELL DIDN'T IT WORK THEN?!" she screamed, the tears overflowing her eyes. She didn't even feel them. It felt like she was being ripped in two in the chest. Her heart was breaking. She collapsed on the floor. "Why didn't it work then?" she mumbled, then fainted.

***

Sara woke up, Colubra emotionally drained, and her own ranting long gone from echoing in the halls. Jajuka watched her from the other side of the room. Colubra was to talk, but Sara wouldn't let her. She had control!

'Oh God. Please work now.' Colubra wanted to stop her, but it was too late. They weren't staying there any longer.

"I wish to be with Folken."

I'm going to Ottawa. My nations capital. Second last chapter folkies, don't forget to review, thank you my faithful readers. Now I must go, I'll be back in *thinks* on saturday. Lots of love!


	18. Death

A/N: I'm so glad that you people like this story

A/N: I'm so glad that you people like this story. This is the first long fic that I'm about to finish. Expect a epilogue. Thank you all for your kind reviews, I dedicate this to my fans. 

Wish

Chapter 17: Death

I once made a vow to my country that I would die for Zaibach on the battlefield. I thought, if I died, I'd bring Sara down with me. But our attitudes have changed. We are more like one now more than ever. I guess that's what pain does to people; unites them in their grief.

***

The white light had no negative effect on Sara's body, maybe she was too far gone to get any worse. But she had no idea just what 'worse' was yet.

The light deposited her in a large, round dome of a room. It was dark, illuminated by a glowing mechanical sphere on one side. In the middle, like a magnificent centerpiece, was the life-like creature in the center. The only visible and human looking part was far at the top, the head of Dornkirk. Sara looked around her to see what she had hoped she'd see first, but instead this monstrosity had blocked her vision.

"Folken." She mouthed, seeing the back of her love. She could barely breath hard enough to say his name. It was the girl beside him that pointed her out.

"There! The light went there." She ran over to Sara, recognizing her immediately, but not hesitating to help her stand. Folken came up behind her. She saw his eyes first, those steel gray eyes that bore into her soul itself. He knew her soul, he loved her kindness, and he knew the deepest secrets about her. He smiled a small smile.

"I came to see you." She managed. Folken nodded, understanding. He took her arm, supporting her and Hitomi let her go. Her light frame held within his strong arms was so comforting, if only she could stay here forever. Forever in his embrace.

"I'm doing this for you." He said. She looked at him, the smile fading from her face in confusion. He stood back from her, her body slightly slouching barely able to support itself. And then, like nothing either she nor Colubra had ever seen before, two billowing wings exploded from his back. Like two black sails billowed out by the wind they extended. Awestruck, Sara just stared at him, her angel. He took a step back, did one giant flap and swept upwards. What happened next would be etched in her mind forever.

As the scene before her unfolded, she noticed a vision, another story, take place on the large circular screen. Fighting, like in a battlefield, no, it _was_ a battlefield. He was doing this for her, and to stop the fighting. He thought what he was doing would solve all the problems. She couldn't breathe. She tried screaming his name, somehow knowing the fatal consequences of his actions. She never made a sound as she watched terrified, unable to do anything. To her, Hitomi didn't even exist, nor the room, nor Dornkirk. Only Folken.

She stumbled forward, trying to run to him, to catch him. He was too far, out of her reach. He fell.

She stared down at the two ebony wings, a few feathers floating around her. She grasped one in her hand subconsciously. The body, it was…just that. A body, no Folken. He had gone.

She dared not say the words in her head unless maybe she would make them come true. Though she knew they already were.

Hitomi knelt beside her, she could see tears on the younger girls face. Compassion, even in her own time of need, enveloped Sara and she gained her breath back to speak.

"It will all be alright." She said. Not even listening to the words she was speaking.

They both turned to the screen when a bright light flashed across the screen.

"The battle, I have to stop Van…" Sara looked at the girl, hate, pain, compassion, there was no room in her head to organize her thoughts.

"We will go to Van." Sara said. Or was it Colubra. Neither of the entities knew.

***

The battlefield was cold. She heard the loudness of the fighting guymelefs. The black skies overhead told of the use of the mass-destruction bomb. Sara might've helped Zaibach create one, or maybe guns. Either way, losses on both sides due to the bomb was catastrophic. War and death - practically synonyms. 

She noticed below her four interesting guymelefs. She knew who they were, not from their pattern, but what she felt inside.

Allen Shezar, Von Fanel, Dilandau Albatou, and Jajuka. 

"They shouldn't be fighting. Why can't they just stop fighting?" Hitomi cried.

"Because they don't want to." Colubra answered, not even sure where she got her answer. "Allen Shezar is protecting Dilandau by fighting Van. Jajuka, what are you doing?" She mumbled to herself. Worried for both of them. She had family, she had a love, she hated that they were fighting. She saw Van get the upper hand of Allen. She began to pray.

'I wish Dilandau will be alright.' Before she could finish she saw the blow. The long, arced swoop of Van's sword, it was aimed straight at Dilandau's heart. But then, then something happened. In a blur a guymelef came forward and took the blow. 

Colubra felt that familiar ripping at her chest.

She was alone.

Jajuka.

Jajuka.

Jajuka.

My brother.

She turned her head to look at Hitomi, who stood, stunned before her. Colubra didn't remember how she had gotten to her knees and her face in the mud.

"Why does it hurt so much?" She managed, the tears spilling over her cheeks like rivers. She didn't try to stop them. She didn't sob, just cry. 

Hitomi said something, or did she run away? Colubra didn't remember.

Alone.

She grabbed the ground, the wet muddy ground. She tried to get her angry out on the ground, but it was soft, and didn't resist. She grabbed the next nearest thing in her frustration. Her feet. Her boot. She dug her fingers into her ankles, now sobbing, trying to replace her pain with physical. She felt a sharp point stab her. 

Her trusty dagger.

She lifted out the thing metal weapon from its sheath. Now careful and calm. She didn't hear, she didn't feel anything around her. She stared at its point, now a dark red colour. She looked at the knife as if it was a precious child, not wanting to hurt it. 

She grasped the hilt with both hands, it would hurt for a while, but then it'd all be over. The thought of the pain ending brought a smile to her face.

***

Dilandau stumbled from the cockpit. Jajuka had sacrificed himself for him. He fell to the ground, exhausted. 'Colubra' he thought as he felt a mild pain in his stomach. He easily ignored it with all his other injuries. Then it became intense, so hard that he doubled over from the pain, he lifted he hands from the wound to find blood on them. He thought he had been injured, this much blood loss could be fatal, but when he lifted his shirt to clog the cut, nothing was there. He stared at the blood on his hands and repeated - 'Colubra!' 

***

He face was half-covered in mud, he head resting on the ground. She knew who she was, she still felt the pain. Why hadn't it killed her? Why wasn't she dead? Was she still dying? No. She was alive. She saw the dagger before her, the mud and blood mixed together in a pool around her body.

A second chance.

***

Celena looked up, she had felt her death. She had felt that girls death. And she had changed back. No, she had changed? Celena looked around, confused. Where was she? She saw her brother, Allen, he turned to her, his blonde hair matted and dirty, his clothes wrinkled and blood seeping through at various spots.

"Celena!" he yelled and they ran to each other and embraced. Van and Hitomi watched happily from behind.

Colubra just stared at the scene below her. 

Oh ya….cool ending, eh? Well review, tell me what you think. Like I said. Epilogue coming, but I'm very proud of what I have so far so might leave you hanging for a bit. Tell your friends *nudge* *nudge* *wink* *wink* so I can get lotsa reviews! *grins evilly* what can I say, I don't know if its good unless I get feed back right? ^ ^

Thank you for dealing with me through all my little mood swings that I've had while writing this story and all the random comments I've made. ***cheers* I'm FINISHED!!! **Yay….well, sort of.

Bye now, feel free to email me any time. Lotsaluv, Roren.


	19. Epilogue

Epilogue

A/N: Thank you to all who reviewed, I couldn't have done this without you and I'm really glad you liked it. Finally, I'm getting this epilogue up before I head on over to Northern Ireland to tell the locals to stop bombing each other. You guys are so great!

Epilogue

I did die on the battlefield. I died to my old self and was reborn a new person. Not Colubra, not Sara. I am anew, but I know that Sara was the one who sacrificed herself so that I could live. She truly was one of compassion. She had stopped me from killing, so she really did have control, I guess that is how she took all the pain, she took over, she took control to die. I don't know how you can decide whether or not you should die or not, but I think you know when the time comes. 

I was ready to die. For I had nothing to live for.

***

She walked down the streets of Fanelia, children ran in front of her laughing and chasing each other. The sounds of hammering and sawing, of women telling the husbands to be careful on the roof; the sounds of a rebuilding nation. A truly great kingdom, with a truly great king. If they knew who she was, she'd be dead, but instead she walked with invisibility and hidden identity through the streets of Fanelia. She tried not to think about the fact that she had caused all this pain. She finally got to the palace and went to the forest behind.

The leaves seemed like thousands of emeralds, twinkling in the wind in a never ending span of colours. The breeze and birds sang to her. Spring, just like on earth, was a time of rebirth, renewal. It seemed to affect everyone in Fanelia. She found the place her feet had led her, but she stayed concealed behind a large tree. She saw the faces clearly, they'd be etched in her brain forever. Their love, she was jealous hers had been taken away so unjustly.

"Hitomi…" The light was so bright, it triggered the memory of so long ago she wasn't sure if it had really happened to her. She squinted to focus and saw the shape of the young girl seem to float in the whiteness. Then it was gone, and so was she. Van hung his head, she noticed her firm determination not to shed a tear.

She took a step into the clearing. For the first time she noticed the giant behind him, the Escaflowne sitting, dormant. He looked up, alert. She walked towards him and stopped.

"Van. I…" she didn't know what to say. Neither did he. After what seemed like hours, he spoke.

"Who are you." He didn't ask because he didn't know.

"I'm not sure. But I'm not the person you met on the battlefield." He clenched and unclenched his jaw in frustration, avoiding her glance.

"You don't belong here." She nodded, the realization that she would never belong on Gaea because of her history. And she wasn't about to get a welcome party from Van either.

"I came…to tell you I'm different. I'm not Colubra, nor Sara. I'm…new." She couldn't cry, she was too afraid to. "I have been torn from everything I had in this world." Van was silent. "But I don't want your sympathy nor pity, for I know I won't get it. Half of me died on that battlefield." She paused. "The better half, but, she left me with something I can't explain, and it's healed me. I was so broken, and yet now I feel reborn. Alive again." She wiped her eyes to keep them dry. "She died, for me. She knew I was sick, and somehow, she knew that her last, and most extensive action was to show love for me. That healed me. I still don't remember my childhood, maybe she could see into my past better than I could, and knew that was all I needed. There are, some very bad people on Earth, Van, and some very bad people on Gaea; I know, I was one of them. But Sara, and Hitomi, they showed me a form of unconditional friendship and love that I just can't explain. Please, Van, I guess what I came here to tell you is, never let that example Hitomi set be forgotten, in your country, in your world. For any planet needs a saviour, and example to look up to, and to mimic so that there will be generations of good people. I wasn't affected until it was too late, until people had to die because of me. War is not, and has never been, the way to peace." She didn't notice the tears streaming down her face, she just had to make sure Van understood her. "Never let Fanelia forget her, as I will never forget Sara." Van sighed and smiled. 

"I won't." She smiled, they were, once again, just a boy and girl, the burdens their fates had chosen for them to care for were for a split second lifted. "What will you do now?" 

She withdrew her sword, it shining in the dim forest surroundings. It was only beautiful when it wasn't in combat. She blinked back images of the blood it had spilled. She raised it high, noticing the perfect reflection it cast, she noticed the image of her neck, the base had something blue, small a circular. She peered closer into the reflection to see the small blue snowflake at the bottom of her neck.

"I thought I had nowhere to go. That everything that had loved me and everything I loved was gone." Images of Folken and Dilandau tore at her heart. "But I still have some." She remembered her brother, yes, she still had a brother, and her friends. Sara, in part had died, but her soul lived on in unison with Colubra's, changing it and perfecting it. "Van, one day I will return, to pay my respects. Raise your country to greatness again." She was filled with joy once more and stared at the aged face of the boy before her.

"I wish to go home." The trees rustled and the blue sky seemed to open up, the air around her seemed to transform into pure light. She felt lightheaded and soon looked down upon the small clearing in the forest where Van was waving her off.

***

She blinked as the bright light dissipated to darkness, which soon transformed to reveal a familiar face staring down at her. 

"Sara? Sara! She's waking up!" The blurry head vanished and was soon replaced by three others. 

"Oh my gosh! Sara!" The blue sky above her told her she was outside, and when the puffy, red jacket of Claudia scooped her up in hug, she knew she was home. "I thought you were dead!"

"You were unconscious! Girl, you hit the tree almost straight on!" Lauren's concerned face was washed with relief. 

"You're so stupid! Why did you go down on your stomach!?" Katie was more pissed off that I had hurt myself than anything.

"What-what day is it?" I finally muttered, feeling a splitting headache I never remembered getting. Memories of when I first left came back. Didn't they remember seeing me go up in the bright light?

"Saturday. Don't you remember?" Lauren chided. She laughed. She would be just fine. They thought that something had happened that didn't, the power of the wish. And now she was back with those she loved. First thing she planned on doing now that she was back on earth; see her brother.

"I'm home."


End file.
